Three Words
by Heart of PureSilver
Summary: Three words. With a simple sentence, the fate of the entire shinobi world would be changed forever. Madara learns this fact the hard way when Hashirama leaves him with an unexpected gift that he doesn't want, but can't return. Yaoi. HashiMada Mpreg. TobiIzu. Don't like, don't read.
1. Conception

The sounds of clashing swords echoed across the battlefield. Corpses of Senju and Uchiha alike were strewn about, some forever frozen in a state of agony. Remaining clan members watched over the dead bodies of their family and companions as they listened to the sounds of battle. The two clan leaders of the Senju and the Uchiha were still going at it, neither side giving an inch in their fight. As Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha fought, their younger brothers faced each other in their own battle.

Madara paused in his actions as he heard Tobirama shout out a technique and the sound of Izuna coughing up blood. He snapped his head towards his brother. His left side was bleeding profusely and blood was trickling out of his mouth in crimson waterfalls. Madara dropped his sword as he immediately forgot about his battle with Hashirama to go help his brother.

"Izuna!" he shouted as he barely managed to catch Izuna's limp body in his arms. "Please, hold on! I promise I'll save you!"

Madara placed Izuna's arm around his neck, supporting his brother up. All strength seemed to have left Izuna's body and that immensely worried Madara. He swore he would protect Izuna, no matter what. He had to get his brother away from this place. He jerked his head up when he heard someone land in front of him. He narrowed his eyes when he spotted Hashirama. The Senju pointed his sword at him and Izuna.

"Madara," the Senju leader said. "You cannot defeat me."

Madara growled. "Hashirama…"

The next instant surprised the Uchiha. Hashirama threw the sword into the ground. He walked up to Madara, extending a friendly hand to him and giving him a soothing smile.

"Madara, why don't we end this?" Hashirama asked. "If the Senju and the Uchiha come together, other shinobi clans will not be able to stand against us. The conflict will eventually die down. This war between the shinobi clans can finally stop."

"Don't listen to him, nii-san!" Izuna protested. Madara turned to look back at his little brother. "Don't fall for their lies…These bastards killed the Uchiha! You would…team up with the ones who killed our family…our friends?"

Madara spotted the numerous bodies of dead Uchiha lying about the area. He knew Izuna had a point. Why would he cooperate with the ones who killed his other brothers? Why would he negotiate with the leader of that despicable clan? But their leader was Hashirama…his old friend. Hashirama wouldn't lie about something as important as this. Izuna was bleeding out on him and he needed to find a healer as soon as possible; he could feel his brother's blood dampen his side. He had a choice to make and he had to make it now.

In one universe, Madara decided to reject the truce at that point and chose to flee with his brother. This would set the shinobi world on a course of destruction. However, this was not to be.

"You always were a naïve fool…" Madara finally said. "Very well. Heal my brother and the rest of the injured Uchiha. If you do that, I'll consider accepting your offer."

Izuna gaped in shock. "But…nii-san! You can't—"

"Izuna, I want to protect our clan just as much as you do. This is my decision. I don't want anyone to suffer any more than they already have."

The Senju gave him a wide grin, similar to the ones he had seen on Hashirama's face when they were children. He placed his hand on Madara's shoulder, gripping it firmly to show his support.

"Alright then," Hashirama said. "I'll get all available healers here as quickly as possible."

"Onii-chan, are you this is such a good idea?" Tobirama snapped, walking up to stand next to his elder brother. "You know how dangerously unpredictable the Uchiha are."

"Nonsense," the elder Senju huffed, waving off his brother's concern. "No alliance can survive if both sides cannot trust each other. You need to get over this image you have of the Uchiha. They aren't paper bombs that will go off on you at the slightest movement."

"I beg to differ," Tobirama muttered under his breath, giving Madara and Izuna a hateful glare. It was immediately returned tenfold by Izuna.

"_Tobirama_," Hashirama warned.

His shoulders slacked when his brother crossed his arms and looked away from the Uchiha brothers. Unlike himself, Tobirama hadn't had the chance to befriend or get to know the Uchiha. Their father's teaching strung high into his younger brother's mind, only increasing after the deaths of Kawarama, Itama, and their mother. It just so happened that Tobirama had a habit of holding grudges for a long time.

Hashirama sighed. It seemed they had a lot of work to do. He motioned Madara to lay Izuna on the ground. The younger Uchiha protested against it, shouting that there was no way he was going to trust a Senju to heal his wounds. Madara hushed him, promising to be nearby in case Hashirama decided to try anything; not that he would ever go against his best friend's trust in the first place. Madara and Izuna's eyes carefully watched Hashirama as his hands began glowing green. He placed his hands over the bleeding wound and instantly frowned. Tobirama had done a lot more internal damage than it appeared. Some of Izuna's internal organs had been sliced apart. If Madara had left with Izuna, there was little to no chance Izuna would have survived from this wound.

It was imperative that there were plenty of medical-nins in any shinobi clan. Hashirama had prided himself as an expert in medical ninjutsu. He had been able to save many of his clansmen's lives from the brink of death and restored hope in those who thought their loved ones were lost. He would save Izuna's life just as he had done for his own clan members. He swore that to himself as he focused on repairing the damaged organs first. He never noticed when other medical ninjas from both the Senju and Uchiha clans arrived, treating the other injured patients lying about the battlefield.

"Hashirama?"

Hashirama perked his head up. "Yeah?"

"Ah…" Madara began unsurely. "Thank you…"

He smiled. "It's no problem at all."

"No. I meant…thank you for not giving up on me…on the Uchiha."

Hashirama would have said something in reply, but the fierce glare Izuna was giving him deterred him from doing so. The younger Uchiha's expression clearly said the following: stay away from my nii-san or die a horrible and agonizing death, you bastard Senju. Hashirama settled on refocusing his attention back to Izuna's wound. Obviously the younger Uchiha would gut him open if he tried anything around Madara, no matter how good his intentions were.

As far as he knew, Izuna never really knew his other elder brothers. That left Madara as his only sibling he could relate to. Because of that, Izuna became fiercely protective of his elder brother; just as Madara became extremely close and protective of Izuna. They had a bond unlike anything Hashirama had seen between siblings. They were closer to each other than Hashirama was to Tobirama, and he was extremely close to his remaining little brother.

He could only imagine the immense suffering Madara would go through should he lose his little brother.

Hashirama's frown deepened. He wouldn't let that happen. Even now, he still thought of Madara as a gift from the gods. He was that one person who disagreed with the ways of the current shinobi world. He was another foolish kid who clung to the belief that they could change their world and create a place where children wouldn't have to kill each other. Even after all these years, Hashirama still considered Madara his friend and he still held a special place in his life.

He raised an eyebrow at his inner thoughts. They sounded extremely suggestive. He didn't like Madara in _that_ way…did he? No. That would be impossible. They were friends. That's all they would ever be.

Hashirama patched up Izuna's side once he healed most of the critical damage done to his organs. He told the Uchiha brothers that Izuna should refrain from doing any strenuous physical work for a few weeks until his wound completely healed. Izuna scoffed at him, saying he wouldn't take orders from a Senju. Madara flicked his otouto's forehead, reprimanding him for his stubbornness. Izuna pouted at his elder brother, crossing his arms in defeat as he lay on the ground. It was a rather humorous sight to see for Hashirama.

It was only the beginning. He had managed to accomplish his first objective towards creating their childhood dream. The Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan came together and they agreed to work together to stop the wars that plagued the Land of Fire. No other ninja clan was able to combat their power. The conflict eventually died down enough for Hashirama and Madara to begin discussing the formation of their village. Hashirama had said he wanted it to be located at the foot of the mountain where they had promised to create it. Madara had no objection to it, but chastised the Senju for clinging to childish notions. Hashirama then got depressed, causing Madara to snap at him for still having that bad habit before he apologized.

Once the location was chosen, Hashirama went about to gathering all the available carpenters to start building up the village. While he did this, Madara and Izuna were in charge of the positioning of all the buildings. Izuna still had his misgivings about trusting the Senju, but his elder brother's decision helped to sway him to cooperate with them. That didn't mean he and Tobirama had to give each other evil sneers whenever they happened to pass by each other. Hashirama shook his head at how immature their younger brothers acted when around each other. Madara had no qualms about it. He disliked Tobirama just as much as Izuna did, if not more so. The constant tension between them was disconcerting, but it never got in the way of the construction of the village.

It was during this time Hashirama really saw the command and authority Madara showed off. It was no surprise he became clan head based on his combative abilities, but Hashirama did not realize how masterfully Madara seemed to direct things around with such organization and skill. It made him gain a whole respect towards his friend.

Before he knew it, their village had been completed. Hashirama stood at the top of the mountain overlooking the village with Madara. The sun was beginning to set on the village, casting a beautiful orange glow upon the forest trees. He spotted the civilians and shinobi below interact with each other. He saw children playing happily without a care in the world. A school for those aspiring shinobi was still being built, but it would soon be finished. He smiled at everything he saw.

"It's hard to believe…but we finally managed to complete that pipe dream of ours," Madara commented as he caught a leaf in his hand.

"Success!" Hashirama cheered. "There are only a few things left to do now."

"Like?"

"Well, we need a name for the village. We also need to elect a village leader, but I'll need to get the Fire Daimyo's permission before that can happen. We have time before we have to worry about those two things, but it never hurts to think in advance. Any ideas on a name?"

Madara peeked through the hole that had been burned into the leaf, looking at the village. "How about…Konohagakure? The Village Hidden in the Leaves?"

A depressive cloud formed over Hashirama. "That's too simplistic. You called it exactly what you saw it as."

"Well, do you have anything else in mind that sounds better, you idiot Senju?" Madara snapped.

A sweatdrop ran down Hashirama's head, his depression gone. "Not really."

"Then don't rebuke me for offering it a simple name," Madara replied, letting go of the leaf and watching it float away on the wind.

"Alright then. Konoha it is," the Senju announced. "We should rejoice in its grand opening!"

Madara blinked. "Grand opening? It's not a new shop that just opened up, Hashirama."

"You know what I meant. Our dream finally became a reality. Isn't that something that should be celebrated?"

"I suppose…"

"I haven't been able to speak to you on equal terms in so long, my friend," Hashirama said, placing a hand on Madara's shoulder. "Can we not go back to those days when we used to skip rocks together?"

Madara sighed before smiling at his friend. "Alright then; if you insist."

Hashirama's heart jumped into his throat. It was always a heartwarming sight to see his friend smile like that. However, it was directed _at_ him this time. That fact alone made his face warm up slightly. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Recently, he would become distracted whenever he was around Madara. He had yet to conclude why he felt the way he did around his old friend. He was always in high spirits when around him. Perhaps it was due to all those years he was forced to fight against him when they were friends before? He had no idea.

He brought Madara to his newly constructed home and decided to pop open a few bottles of special sake he had been saving for such a special event. He offered some to Madara, but the Uchiha politely refused. Hashirama thought nothing of it. Madara was probably not a big drinker. Hashirama began speaking of the events that happened after that fateful day at the river. He figured it would be a good time to catch up with each other on happenings that happened after that day and reveal memorable times he shared with his family. He wanted to show Madara he had no issues with revealing personal information and he trusted his friend. He spoke of his training and his studies in medical ninjutsu. He even spoke of a few shenanigans he and his younger brothers managed to get themselves into.

He never noticed how many cups of sake he had while he did this.

"And wham! His face was splattered with rice!" Hashirama laughed. "Oh, otou-san was furious with me for goading them into doing it. That punch I got from him was worth it, though."

"I'm surprised your father didn't kill you numerous times over," Madara remarked. "You're gutsier than you appear."

"Nah…not that gutsy," Hashirama slurred, placing down his sake cup. "If I had any guts at all, I'd tell you something important."

Madara blinked in confusion. "Eh? What do you mean by that?"

Hashirama moved closer to the Uchiha. "You _really_ want to know?"

"Hashirama…you're a bit too close."

In his drunken haze, there were things he saw about the man sitting across from him that he never noticed before. Madara was downright _gorgeous_…for a guy. Midnight black locks cascaded down his back and perfectly framed his almond-shaped face. His skin was lightly tanned, complementing yet contrasting against the dark colors of his hair and eyes. He looked intimidating to others, but Hashirama knew who he truly was deep down. Although he was emotionally guarded, Madara was a kind and gentle individual. No one bothered to see that side of him. They only saw the rough surface rather than the diamond behind it. That's why the others in the village tended to avoid and scorn him.

"You are beautiful…" he said without thinking.

Madara gaped. "_Eh_!? Hashirama, exactly how much did you drink!?"

"Just enough," he said as he got even closer to Madara's face. "Enough to tell you that you're special to me, Madara."

The Uchiha merely stared back at Hashirama in complete shock. He was speechless; unsure of how to respond to such a bold statement. He froze entirely when Hashirama caressed his cheek in an almost loving way. The Senju pulled Madara's face closer to his, their lips bare centimeters from each other. That was when the sirens in Madara's brain finally decided to go off. He shoved the drunken Senju away from him, a fierce blush staining his face.

"The hell are you doing, you perverted idiot!?" he snapped embarrassingly. "What's wrong with you!?"

"Absolutely nothing," Hashirama replied, tenderly grabbing hold of the hands that had pushed him away. He then pushed Madara onto the ground. "Why are you so serious all the time?"

"Get off of me, Hashirama," Madara demanded, noticing the suggestive position he had been forced into. He eyed the Senju as he straddled his waist with his knees. "This is unseemly!"

"Relax, Madara," Hashirama shushed him. Madara tensed up when the Senju bent down closer to him, his hot breath brushing past his face.

"Stop. I don't…want this."

Hashirama smiled that ever annoying grin at him. "Then why aren't you resisting?"

"Shut up!" Madara snapped indignantly. "I just don't want to resort to pounding you into next week if I can bring you to reason."

"Madara, I told you before that you can't defeat me."

"You think I can't handle myself against you even when you're drunk off your ass? You underestimate me, you naïve Senju."

Hashirama pinned his arms down on either side of his head. "I accept that challenge then."

"What are you—"

He was cut off when lips crashed against his. His eyes dilated when he realized Hashirama was kissing him. Not just anyone, but _Hashirama_. Another _man_. Not to mention this was his first time kissing anyone. This was taboo in society. It was unnatural and completely disgusting. He was even more confused why he didn't knee the idiot in the nuts as soon as he realized this. Why was he enjoying it!? Why was he going along with it!?

The Senju pulled away, looking at him with hazy, half-lidded eyes filled with desire. He blinked at the emotion he saw in those dark depths.

"I think I finally realize what this sensation I've been feeling recently is," he said to him. "Madara, I want _you_."

Madara's jaw dropped. "You have _got_ to be joking with me, Senju. You know such an association is forbidden!"

"I don't care what they think. Besides, no one has to know."

"But I don't like you in that way!"

Hashirama playfully smirked at him. "Don't you?"

Madara bit his lip. He would be lying if he said that Hashirama wasn't one of the people on his "Important People" list. He would also be lying if he said that he didn't care about the Senju on some level. But he most certainly did not like the Senju enough to do naughty things like this in secret with him!

He let out a strangled noise when Hashirama began pulling down the high collar of his Uchiha mantle. The damn pervert was peering down inside his clothing. He instinctively slammed his forehead against the Senju's. Both men let out pained shouts. Hashirama flew back far enough for Madara to sit upright. He rubbed the large red spot now on his forehead. Madara mirrored him, also attempting to soothe the blossoming pain coming from between his temples.

"I told you before that I don't want this, you moron!" he growled, Sharingan eyes blazing in the dim room. "Get that through that thick skull of yours!"

"You sure?"

He snapped his head to the side. He found Hashirama there. When did he get behind him? The Senju wrapped an arm around his waist and brought him into his chest. His other hand ran through his hair.

"It's soft. How do you do it?"

"Don't ask me about something as trivial as that," Madara muttered. "Why are you so persistent?"

"You said that I thought you couldn't handle yourself against me and you'd rather not pound me if I could see reason. Let's test that to be sure."

Madara's face flushed red. "I didn't mean it like _that_!"

He smirked at him again. "Did you?"

"Stop twisting my words around…"

His hand began traveling down past Madara's belt. "You never were one to back down from a challenge, Mada-chan. Why start now?"

Madara glared at the Senju. "Hashirama…call me 'Mada-chan' again and I'll chop it off."

"Then there's no danger if I do this?"

"Get your hand out of my pants! Don't—AH!"

That was the forbidden zone. No one but himself was allowed down there, yet Hashirama had completely bypassed it and so easily too. The idiot was craftier than he looked. He began to feel that familiar, yet uncomfortable heat spread through his body. Hashirama was giving him a triumphant grin as if he had just won a prestigious award.

"Found it," he said. "You really are gifted, aren't you?"

"I never realized you were such a closet pervert…" Madara hissed back. "Let it go, damn it!"

"I don't think I will."

"Bastard. What do you want from me?"

"…I want you to be mine."

Madara ground his teeth together. He was placed in a precarious position. He could try and wait out until Hashirama passed out, but it could be hours before that happened. The Senju were notorious for being able to outlast other shinobi in just about anything. Madara knew he didn't have the patience for that. He also knew Hashirama would continue molesting him until then. If he pacified him just this once…he could leave as soon as he was able to.

"…If I do it with you, you will never speak about it to me or anyone else. _Ever_. Is that clear?"

Hashirama merely smiled at him, nuzzling his face into Madara's hair. "Crystal."

* * *

**HashiMada. My OTP of Yaoi pairings. And Mpreg because it **_**needed**_** to be done. I'm mostly doing this fic for fun and the sole fact that there's like NO HashiMada mpreg fanfiction on FF. Where's the love for the potential families these two can make!? This must be corrected! Many thanks to my co-author kitsunelover300 for helping me make this story become a reality! :D**

**I know I have other fanfics to work on, but my muse wanted to do this for quite some time now. **_***puts on a pair of shades* **_**Deal with it. If you don't like it, don't read it.**


	2. News

Madara hunched over the bucket that had become his new best friend. He could feel bile rising up his throat again. He gagged, lurching forward as he heaved into the small pail. Vomit sprayed into the bottom of the bin. He could feel sweat bead down his forehead as he upchucked yesterday's dinner. There went a perfectly good meal of inarizushi.

He took a few breaths, shaking slightly as he wiped his mouth with his hand. He had been feeling queasy for the past few weeks. The vomiting was becoming part of his daily routine now. He absently rubbed his upper chest, finding it sore again. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. At this point, he was suspecting it was a very odd stomach virus.

He stood up, straightening his clothes out and wiping the sweat off his brow. Now that there was nothing in his stomach, he was hungry again. He cursed the god-awful nausea that continued to plague him. It was a vicious cycle of eating, retching, and eating again. Thankfully it would be a few more hours before the need to vomit would come at him like Hashirama's Wood Style jutsu on the battlefield.

Hashirama's wood.

He shivered as pleasant tingles ran across his skin. What a night that was. He really suspected whether the Senju was telling the truth or not when he said it was his first time. Madara thought he wouldn't enjoy it considering the situation at that time. Boy was he wrong. It was definitely memorable and—dare he say it?—enjoyable. He had been avoiding the Senju as much as possible since then. Even though several weeks had passed, deep down, he was afraid that Hashirama remembered that night. He didn't want to deal with the complications that arose from it. Could he even call them "friends" anymore after what Hashirama told him?

Those three words haunted him…

I love you.

He snapped his head to the door when he heard it open, finding Izuna there. He immediately stopped rubbing his chest, dropping his hand to his side. His younger brother had a worried look on his face. Izuna immediately rushed to Madara's side.

"Nii-san, are you alright?" he asked, placing his hand against Madara's forehead. "I heard you puking again."

"I told you I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, Izuna," Madara replied. "Whatever it is, I'll get over it."

"Nii-san, I _have_ to worry. You're _never_ sick! What if it's some sort of incurable disease that's slowly degrading your body over time?"

"Otouto, relax. I'm not going to die anytime soon."

The younger Uchiha frowned, still unconvinced. Izuna had discovered his vomiting spree fairly recently, so he thought Madara was in the beginning stages of whatever disease he had contracted. Madara gave him a comforting smile, ruffling his brother's hair before he passed him and walked out the open door. He took a deep breath through his nose. He then started walking down the streets of the Uchiha district. Hashirama had requested his presence atop the mountain to talk about something. He really didn't want to see the idiot's face, but he didn't have much of a choice. As soon as he was out of the district, he leapt onto on the nearby buildings. He used those buildings to traverse the village and help him reach the mountain faster. He spotted the amazingly lame Senju clothing and groaned. He ran up the mountain side before he finally reached the top. There was Hashirama, looking at him as if nothing had happened between them. He must have been so wasted that he didn't remember anything.

"Madara!" he greeted happily. "It's been a while since I've seen you."

"Cut the crap, Hashirama," Madara snapped, feeling angry all of a sudden. "Just tell me why you wanted to see me."

Hashirama flinched at his tone. "Yeesh. Did you wake up on a kunai knife this morning?"

"I woke up to the urge to vomit. Not the nicest thing to start your day to," Madara answered with a deadpan.

"Why did you—"

"I might've eaten a bad plate of inarizushi. It doesn't matter. Just get on with it."

"Right," Hashirama said. "Well, I finally met with the Fire Daimyo. They require someone to select a village leader. The leader of shinobi that protects the Land of Fire from the shadows: the Fire Shadow, or Hokage. What do you think?"

Madara raised an eyebrow. "That's not exactly a name oozing with sex appeal."

A depressive cloud hovered over Hashirama. "I thought it was well thought out…"

Madara smirked. "Ever the optimistic fool."

"Hey, I'm optimistic for a reason!" he countered. "Besides, I was considering naming you to be our leader."

"M-Me?" Madara said in shock, pointing a finger at himself. "I don't know about that…"

"Hey, now's not the time to be weak!" Hashirama cheerily said. "Besides the Uchiha and the Senju, the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans also wish to join Konoha."

Madara's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"And it's not just them. Others want to join as well. This village is going to continue expanding!"

"That's…amazing. To be honest, I didn't think we'd ever get to this point."

"Well, we did and that's what matters."

"By the way," Madara said. "What's the role this 'Hokage' will be playing in all of this?"

Hashirama placed a hand to his chin in thought. "Well, the foremost job would be the protection of the village. But considering the rate the village is growing at, the Hokage will begin to get busier as well. That's why I want to have your likeness carved into the cliff face at our feet, as a symbol of our village's protector."

A sweatdrop ran down Madara's face, looking down at the cliff. "You're joking, right?"

"But I think your features will need to be softened a bit. You look too stern."

"It beats looking at your ugly mug every day!"

Hashirama slumped over. "It's not that ugly…is it?"

"Yes. Yes it is," Madara replied with a laugh.

"Oh really?"

Madara was about to laugh again, but instead he gagged. He covered his mouth as he felt the nausea from that morning return with a vengeance. Hashirama took quick notice of his friend's discomfort and positioning. He rushed to Madara's side, concern flashing in his dark eyes.

"Madara? Are you alright?"

He jerked away from Hashirama's touch, rushing to the nearest boulder in sight. He felt the oncoming bile traveling up his throat. He threw himself over the rock and hurled. A small, but steady stream of stomach acid spewed out of his mouth. He coughed; dry heaving a few more times before his stomach decided it was done emptying itself. He was trembling again and his bangs now stuck to his face. He fell to his knees, curling in on himself as he wrapped his arms around his abdomen. He still felt incredibly nauseous even though there was nothing in his stomach to make him feel so queasy.

He felt hands being placed on his shoulders to steady them. He spotted Hashirama there, giving him a worried look.

"I'm fine," Madara rasped out, his throat still hurting from his earlier retching.

"You most certainly aren't!" Hashirama snapped. "Why didn't you tell me right away that you were unwell?"

"It's only consistent vomiting. Other than that, I feel fine. It's probably just food poisoning."

"_Food poisoning that lasts for several weeks. Like anyone will believe that,_" the Uchiha thought.

"Well…if you insist," Hashirama said, sounding unsure. "But if the problem persists, I highly suggest you see a doctor."

"I can look after myself, Hashirama!" Madara angrily yelled. "I'm not a two-year-old!"

"Easy! No need to get snippy with me," the Senju replied, putting his hands up in defense.

Madara sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell, but this persistent sickness is grating on my nerves."

"Try having some tea. That should help settle your stomach somewhat."

Madara stood up on shaky legs, still cradling his sensitive middle. "I'll keep that in mind."

He leapt off the mountain, landing roughly on the ground. He needed to unwind and relax. He also needed to eat something. But now that all his stomach juices were baking under the sun, he wouldn't be able to eat anything for a while. He began tracing circles on his chest again, feeling irritated and tired. He began heading back towards the Uchiha district, passing by numerous people who were giving him suspicious looks. He hated the way they all looked at him; like he had something devious to hide behind their backs. But like any Uchiha, he went on his way like their stares meant nothing to him. They were nothing compared to him.

He went back to his home and quickly prepared himself a warm bath. Rikudo Sennin knew he needed it. As he was stripping off his clothes, he noticed that his nipples were an angry red color compared to the normal pink they usually were. He hissed when he gingerly touched the area again. He couldn't understand why they hurt so much. He slowly descended into the warm water, sighing in contentment as it lapped at his skin. He could feel his muscles loosen up and all the aches from that day seemed to drift away.

He sunk lower into the water, submersing himself in its warm embrace. He wanted to sit there forever…until something began nagging at him near the pit of his gut. This time it wasn't nausea. It was slightly painful. It felt as if someone was tugging on his sides from inside of him. He resurfaced from the water and curled up slightly before placing his hands on the areas he felt the pain coming from. The cramping was also becoming a frequent occurrence for him. He hated it just as much as the nausea at times. Thankfully, he was already sitting someplace comfortable. He sat there, waiting for the irritating pulling to stop.

As soon as it came, the pain left. He slowly stood up and exited the tub, water dripping off his body. He wrung out his hair, looking down at the floor as he did so. That's when he noticed it. He blinked, wondering if he was seeing things. He parted the bangs that covered his right eye behind his ear, taking another look.

His normally well-toned muscles were beginning to wane and disappear. He dragged his finger over his belly, watching it curve over a barely noticeable bulge protruding from his lower abdomen. He scowled at the forming bump. It was a well-known fact to him by now that he was barely able to keep food down. He would usually puke it up later in the day. He was doing plenty of physical activity, so why was he _gaining_ weight? He wrapped a white yukata around his form, effectively hiding the small protrusion.

He made a mental note to do more crunches in his training regimen.

* * *

Waiting for the sickness to pass on its own proved to be worse than when the sickness first started. Weeks had passed and the vomiting and nausea had become a regular thing for Madara during all hours of the day and night. Izuna had flipped a table quite literally when Madara revealed he had been suffering from those symptoms for well over a month now. That was the only thing he said about his condition. The others were too embarrassing to mention.

Madara blinked his tired eyes, staring up at the ceiling in confusion. He normally slept on his stomach. He soon remembered why he had resorted to sleeping on his back when his arm brushed against the reason. He maneuvered himself so that his elbow was used as a support to sit him upright. He parted the black yukata he wore, looking down at his belly. The yukata had been hiding a now recognizable curve against his once flat stomach. He glared at the mound. The lump had been a stubborn obstacle that slowly became a bigger pain in the neck to deal with than handling Hashirama on a daily basis. No matter how much he wanted or tried to do any sort of abdominal work, his nerves would not let him overcome the agony. He was no stranger to pain, but the pain he felt there when any sort of pressure was placed on his stomach was beyond anything he ever experienced before. It made any physical training of those muscles impossible for him.

The weight gain was disconcerting and his concerns only intensified when his belly continued to grow. When he first noticed it, he passed it off as a little extra fat. Now it had expanded and it relentlessly taunted him whenever he looked down at himself. He constantly wondered where his six-pack had run off to and why. Seeing the bump there instead of flatness bothered him immensely.

Another new irritating nuisance came up for him in the form of frequent bathroom trips. It felt like one of his internal organs decided to move and sit itself right on his bladder. He had enough issues with people standing behind him when he went to do his private business. The constant trips only made the likelihood of someone walking up behind him increase.

He placed his hand against his swollen stomach. It felt like it had grown a little. It was slightly bigger than the day before. An upset frown graced his features as he quickly tied his yukata back up.

The sound of his bedroom door opening brought his attention to his guests. Izuna was standing there with a female Uchiha. She held a fairly large bag in her hands. Her black hair was tied up in a bun and she had a serious expression on her face. Izuna looked guilty, frowning and staring at an interesting spot on the floor.

"Otouto. What's going on?" Madara demanded.

"Madara-sama," the woman bowed. "I was approached by Izuna-sama who had concerns over your health. I am Sayuri. If you'll allow me, I wish to perform an examination. "

Madara narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Izuna…"

"Nii-san, please understand," Izuna beseeched. "I couldn't stand and wait anymore while I watched you waste away. I want you to get over whatever disease that's putting you through so much trouble. If anything happened to you…"

"Izuna…" Madara said softly. "…Alright. Do whatever it is you're going to do."

"Thank you, Madara-sama," Sayuri replied, bowing once more. "Izuna-sama, please leave. I have a strict policy of keeping patient confidentiality."

Izuna sulked, but reluctantly obeyed. Madara heard his brother close the door and take off somewhere else. There was no one within the vicinity that he could sense either. Sayuri began pulling out numerous doodads that Madara had little idea of what they were for. She placed a mat down on the floor, motioning him over to her. He sat down in front of her, crossing his arms in irritation. He really did not want to go through a doctor's examination.

"Izuna-sama tells me you've been sick recently," Sayuri said. "Care to elaborate? Don't leave out any details. I want to hear all your symptoms."

"Well…" Madara began. "It started about a few weeks ago with constant nausea. Since then, I've been having the urge to vomit at random times throughout the day. I've been feeling extremely tired for no reason, little things seem to bother me more than usual, my chest is sore, and I've put on some weight."

"Interesting," she mused. "Do you mind taking off your yukata so I can see your chest?"

Madara grudgingly began taking off his clothing. Once he removed the upper part of the yukata, he saw Sayuri's eyes widen. He looked down at the red and erect dots on his chest, watching as Sayuri moved closer and touched the area. He winced when her fingers moved across the tender spot.

"Curious," she hummed to herself. "This is something I haven't seen before…yet I have."

"That doesn't explain much," Madara deadpanned.

"Madara-sama, there's one thing I want to check," Sayuri said. "Please lie down."

He placed his yukata back on before he quietly did as she instructed, lying down on the mat she had laid out. She held her palms over his body. They began glowing green as they hovered over his chest. She then slowly moved them down from his chest towards his stomach. She stopped there for a brief moment, quirking an eyebrow. She then activated her Sharingan, squinting at his abdomen. Her eyes widened in what appeared to be a mix of horror, shock, and disbelief. Her jaw dropped and she let out a small squeak. That was not a good sign.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worry clearly lacing his voice as he sat up. Did she find some sort of tumor that she couldn't remove? Was it a deadly disease? Did a parasite manage to claim his innards as its home?

"Madara-sama? Have you been involved in any sexual activity within the past month?" Sayuri quietly inquired.

Madara stiffened. "Maybe. Why should that matter?"

"Then…that partly explains how it formed," she muttered awkwardly. "But that doesn't explain _how_ it's there…it shouldn't be possible!"

"Will you stop leaving me in the dark and tell me what's wrong?"

Sayuri bit her lip. "I checked to see if any foreign objects had entered your body. I found a small chakra located near your pelvis. I first thought it was a parasite, but its chakra told me otherwise. While it felt distinctly different from your own, it was similar to your chakra makeup. I've seen this occurrence multiple times before with expecting women."

"Meaning?"

She took a deep breath. "Madara-sama…Congratulations?"

He blinked in confusion at her. "What for?"

"You're…going to be a mother, Madara-sama. The symptoms you've been experiencing…are the first few signs of pregnancy."

He glared at her. "I'm a man. If this is some sort of joke, I'm not laughing."

"You think I don't know that!?" she snapped. "I wouldn't joke about something like this! Look at yourself with your Sharingan if you don't believe me!"

Madara scoffed, deciding to humor her. He knew there was no way she was correct. Guys do not have babies. That was part of the beauty of being a guy. He activated his Sharingan before he looked down at himself. He saw the source of his chakra located in his middle. It looked as blue as always. In fact, everything looked as it usually did; everything except for that one little spot of chakra that was floating just above his pelvis. A thin trail of chakra was leading from his main chakra source to that tiny spot, connecting the two together. That chakra was not a part of him. It was different, but it had the same feel as his chakra did.

His eyes widened when everything seemed to click into place. He suddenly felt sick again as he placed a shaky hand on the small bump hiding behind his clothing. The symptoms seemed to make so much more sense. It explained everything: the heightened sensitivity around his stomach, the vomiting, the weight gain, the mood swings, and the new chakra that had settled itself inside him. But was he really...pregnant? He was a _man_! How was that even _possible_!?

He saw expecting mothers and their enlarged bellies before. Would he get that huge? He wanted to regurgitate something at that thought but there was nothing left in his stomach. He had puked it out early that morning.

"Now, what time works for you?"

He blinked, returning his attention back to Sayuri. "Time?"

"To have the child removed."

He felt a surge of anger course through him. "_Removed_?"

"Madara-sama, this is something that has never happened before and for a good reason. Your body is not designed to carry a fetus. Since you do not have a uterus, the placenta has likely connected itself to one of your vital internal organs. This would be risky for both you and the child if you were to carry it to full-term. The physical strain would be too much and the chance of miscarriage would be quite high. You are our Clan Head. As a doctor and as one of your clansmen, I highly suggest an abortion posthaste."

"No!" he shouted, unconsciously curling both arms protectively around his abdomen. "I'd rather carry the parasite and die trying than take a child's life like that!"

"But Madara-sama…"

"_No_," he said again, his Sharingan blazing into Sayuri's eyes. "I don't care if it's unnatural. I don't care how it happened or why it's there. I am _not_ killing an unborn child."

"This is completely insane!" she fearfully continued. "Did you not hear a word I said, Madara-sama!? Don't tell me you're thinking of carrying it to term!? You could _die_! What would everyone say if they found out!?"

"They aren't going to find out," Madara swore as he stood up. "I'll make sure of that. No one will know about this."

"Are you sure about this? What about the…err, other father?"

Madara's eyes narrowed. "He isn't going to know either. I expect you to keep quiet about everything that's been discussed here."

"You don't need to tell me that twice. But still…this is going to change your life if you decide to go through this, for better or for worse."

"It's only nine months. How bad could it possibly be?"

"You'd be surprised…" she mumbled. "What will you do with the child if you manage to carry it to term?"

"I'll dump it off somewhere."

She gaped. "You would do that to your own child?"

"I'll deal with the parasite only until it's born. Once it's out, it's not going to be my problem anymore."

"It's not a parasite, Madara-sama. It's a baby."

"Does it need me to survive?"

"Yes."

"Does it suck out nutrients from my body and provide nothing in return?"

"Yes?"

"Then, by definition, it's a parasite," Madara stated, his hand touching the slight bulge hiding behind his clothing. He couldn't believe he was about to say this. "…How far along am I?"

"Judging from the size of its chakra and your symptoms, I'd say you're about two months pregnant. I can't say for sure until I do a more thorough examination," Sayuri answered, packing up her supplies. "I'll write out a list of things you should eat and things you should avoid altogether for you soon. I also require to meet with you biweekly at the very least to monitor its growth."

Madara said nothing.

"I'm also going to do some research on how in the seven hells a man can possibly have a bun in the oven."

"Please do."

"You know…I always hear women complain about how men never have to go through the 'joys' of pregnancy. All I can say is good luck, Madara-sama. You're going to need it. After all…this is only the beginning."

As soon as she left and was out of earshot, Madara let out a groan. He ran a hand through his hair, his other hand resting on his small protrusion. What was he _thinking_!? He knew this was going to be his biggest battle yet and he had to face it alone. If he really was pregnant, he was definitely not ready to have a baby…_especially_ not have it himself. He had heard numerous things about pregnancy from expectant fathers and gossiping women. He was not looking forward to any of the symptoms they described: horniness, back pain, swollen feet, random food cravings, labor, et cetera. Parenthood was the thing farthest from his mind. He knew he eventually needed heirs for his clan, but he had time before that happened! Damn that Hashirama for not keeping his wood in his trunk!

He felt a lump form in his throat. Hashirama was the father. He was the "mother". This child was his and Hashirama's. Madara scowled at his thoughts, glaring at his bulging stomach. No. It wasn't his. This devil spawn was not his or Hashirama's. It was a monster; a disgusting parasite that decided to form inside him. He was not a "mother" and he never would be. He would never refer to the disgusting freak as his child. His child will be bore from a woman he loves once he found her.

"I'm going to rip them off when I see him next…" Madara silently swore, thinking of the man who caused this entire mess.

"Nii-san?"

Madara dropped his hands, turning around and seeing Izuna entering the room. His brother ran up to his, worry clearly shining in his eyes.

"Well? Tell me what Sayuri-san said! Is it dangerous? Life-threatening? A minor inconvenience? Tell me, nii-san!"

He placed a hand on Izuna's head. "It's alright, otouto. I'm not in any immediate danger."

"_Immediate_ danger!? See, I KNEW it! You're dying, aren't you!?"

Madara smiled sheepishly. "No, I'm not dying. I'm just…going through a severe stomach ailment. The vomiting will hopefully pass within the next month."

Izuna sighed in relief. "Oh, thank kami...That's good to hear. Hopefully you'll get over it sooner than later."

"_If only…_" Madara grimly thought.

* * *

**And Madara gets the news that he's gonna be a mama. He's happy, isn't he? How is it possible? I'll get to the explanation in a later chapter. Until then, stay tuned for the torture...I mean, joys that Madara will be experiencing in the future!**


	3. Feelings

Madara stared back at himself, half-dressed and standing before a body-length mirror. To any other woman, this would be a day of joyous celebration. To Madara, he was honestly disgusted. Taut and strong muscles graced his arms and legs. His face was clear of any imperfection and he was graced with long hair that was coveted by many women. No one ever saw was going on behind his clothing.

His belly had only grown since the big reveal. It was definitely protruding now. Thankfully, it was still small enough to hide under his clothing. However, that wouldn't be the case for long. In a few weeks, he'd have to wear a constant Henge. It bothered him that the diagnosis of "pregnancy" was what was ailing him. He'd take a stomach virus any day over the crap he was going through.

Madara let out a sound that crossed between a groan and a sob.

"Oh, don't sound so depressed, Madara-sama," Sayuri quipped as she packed up her supplies. "You still look great!"

"I'm getting fat," he stated, poking at his distended middle.

"But your hair looks _fabulous_. Lucky you. Fourteen weeks in and already you've got a bit of that pregnancy glow going for you. Some women never get that glow."

"I don't want to glow! People will notice!" he angrily snapped.

"Well, that's why you have a Henge if you need it, right?" she retorted, exiting the room.

Madara huffed in aggravation, returning to glare at his stomach. It's not like the brat would see it, but it managed to make Madara feel marginally better about himself. He could blame the parasite for throwing his life out of balance.

"I hate you," he grumbled at his gut before he began putting on his Uchiha cloak.

As soon as he was dressed, he stormed out of the house. His moods were out of whack and he was slowly losing control of his body thanks to his new pest. He already unwillingly loosened the belt he wrapped around his mantle. He wondered why he didn't accept the chance to abort the thing when he could; then he wouldn't have had to deal with this mess. Curse his morals! Curse the little monster for existing! Curse Hashirama for putting him through this hell!

He was unaware of the vicious aura that leaked out of him as he walked down the streets of Konoha. People shied away from him and some immediately fled the area. That pissed Madara off even more. They were acting like vermin hiding beneath rocks when they were exposed to the light of day.

His raging hormones weren't the only thing that was bothering him. Hashirama had recently become Hokage based on a democratic vote that Tobirama had suggested. Madara was unaware of this and it bothered him that Hashirama never told him. Deep down, it felt like Hashirama had betrayed him. Hashirama told him before that he considered Madara a brother. Shouldn't his opinion count just as much as Tobirama's? Apparently to the idiot Senju, this was not so. He had every desire to gut the Senju and roast his intestines with a good Fireball Jutsu.

He also had a yearning for something hot.

He blinked at the sudden change in his thoughts. When did he go from killing an idiot with fire to food? Now that he really thought about it, some teriyaki sōmen topped with wasabi seemed really good at that moment. He wasn't a fan of anything spicy, but the urge to have some hot food had overcome his rage at Hashirama. His new mission was to satisfy his craving. Hashirama's slow and agonizing death could wait for a bit.

"Nii-san!"

He turned his head, finding Izuna rushing up to him in a panic. "Izuna? What is it?"

"Hokage-teme requests your help," Izuna replied with a scowl. "There's a group of ninja from Amegakure who are targeting Konoha. It's something about them disagreeing with the shinobi village system."

"Of _course_," Madara growled, a visible angry aura surrounding him. "Just when I want to go eat and enjoy myself, he has to ruin it by bringing something up for me…I'll kill him in his sleep."

Izuna had backed up a good few feet away from Madara. "Nii-san?"

Madara sighed. "Otouto, do you think you could make me some teriyaki sōmen covered in wasabi when I get back?"

"Uh…Sure, I guess?" Izuna answered confusedly. "I thought you weren't a fan of wasabi?"

"I just had the urge, alright!?" Madara snapped. "Do you have to question me about it!?"

"Ah…forgive me, Madara-nii…" Izuna quietly apologized.

Madara blinked. He hadn't meant to snap at his brother. He internally groaned. His hormones were really messing him up. He gave an apologetic look to Izuna before taking off towards the Hokage building. The structure had been constructed fairly recently and it sported an office for the Hokage, a room filled to the brim with documents relating to the village, and even a special area housing numerous messenger birds. When he finally reached the building, he dashed up the stairs. The climb seemed to go by slower than normal. Yet another thing that he hated about being pregnant: his bloated abdomen weighed him down.

He strolled up to the office door and knocked on it, hearing Hashirama to tell him to come in. He opened the door, spotting Tobirama sitting on the Hokage's desk. The white-haired Senju gave him a spiteful sneer. Madara reciprocated the look. He was in no mood to deal with the younger Senju, especially now since his hormones were jacked up.

"Madara," Hashirama greeted him with that ever jovial smile he usually had on his face. "I'm glad you came."

"What's this about shinobi from Amegakure?" Madara immediately questioned.

"Ah yes. That…" Hashirama sighed. "Well…"

"To put it simply, they don't want large shinobi villages like Konoha to exist," Tobirama explained for his brother. "Their land is small and is located between the Lands of Fire, Wind, and Earth. As you know, Iwagakure and Sunagakure were formed based off of Konoha's village system. If these countries ever went to war, their land would be caught in the crossfire."

"That's not exactly our problem," commented Madara.

"It will be if we don't settle their fears," Tobirama snapped. "Onii-chan suggests that we meet with them in person to resolve the issue."

"Let me guess…" Madara growled. "I'm merely supposed to be there to protect 'Hokage-sama's' behind in case they try anything foolish like killing him. Am I wrong?"

"Don't put it like that," Hashirama said. "The fact remains is that you too are a founder of this village. You have just as much right to be at this meeting as I do. I want you there with me as my partner and friend."

Madara frowned. So the idiot _was_ capable of considering his opinions besides just his brother's. That eased up the animosity he felt towards the Senju. But it didn't change the fact that the abomination currently living in his gut was the result of Hashirama's "partnering" with him.

"Something wrong with your stomach?"

Madara stiffened when he realized he had unintentionally placed his hand on his little swelling. He dropped his hand, mentally scolding the mutinous appendage for moving on its own accord.

"Eh…Just a bit of indigestion," Madara quickly lied to Tobirama. "I'm fine. It's not something that will hinder me in any way."

"You _did_ see a doctor back when I suggested you to?" Hashirama curiously inquired.

"I did," Madara answered. "It was just a severe stomach ailment. I'm mostly over it now."

"That's good to hear," the idiot happily replied. "Do I have your trust then?"

"Only because you wouldn't last a day without me or your brother hounding you," Madara remarked with a shrug. "And don't lie about it. You know it's true."

Hashirama sweatdropped. "I suppose..."

"So when's this meeting supposed to be?"

"Soon."

Madara quirked an eyebrow. "How soon?"

"Today."

"TODAY!?" Madara furiously shouted. "You ignorant Senju! Why wait until the last minute to tell me!?"

"Because this situation kind of came up at the last minute, so there was no time to inform you beforehand?" Hashirama sheepishly responded.

"Oh…" Madara muttered, running a hand through his hair. "If that's the case, then we should get going immediately."

"Agreed," Hashirama stood up, removing his Hokage hat. "Wait for me at the village gate. I need to change out of these ridiculous robes."

"Why do you wear them if you don't like them?"

Hashirama gave him an awkward smile. "Eh…the Fire Daimyo suggested it. Can't really object to them."

"I see…" Madara muttered. "Very well then."

Hashirama nodded at him. Madara watched as he walked out of the Hokage office and went off towards some different room. Madara was about to head out the door himself when he was stopped by a hand. He snapped his head at the younger Senju, giving him the evil eye.

"Don't think that I don't know what's going on," Tobirama snarled at him. "You're hiding _something_. If it threatens Onii-chan or the village as a whole, I will not hesitate to strike you down."

"Piss off, you bastard!" Madara shouted, jerking his shoulder out of Tobirama's grip. "I'm in no mood to deal with your infuriating attitude right now!"

"_Oh kami…Did I really just say that aloud?_" he thought in dismay when he saw the shocked look on Tobirama's face. "_There goes my dignity…_"

Madara rushed out of that room as fast as he could. How was he supposed to keep his parasite a secret when he could barely control his rampant emotions? Someone was going to find out at this rate. He took a deep breath. He needed to find a better outlet. Snapping out at people wasn't going to make his situation any better.

He headed towards the massive open gate to the village. Once there, he leaned against the large bamboo poles that made up the protective wall around Konoha to wait for Hashirama. He took a quick peek around, finding no one nearby. His hands interlocked underneath his little bump. He frowned, silently pondering how big he was going to get within the next few weeks. Sayuri had said that he was supposed to rapidly gain weight during the second trimester in order to accommodate the growing fetus. That meant he'd be getting a potbelly really soon. He moaned at his luck. This was only month three. He had six more to go. He briefly wondered how women dealt with pregnancy multiple times over. He let his hands fall to his sides. He sent one last glare to his stomach, hoping the little monster would feel his hatred for its existence.

"You're one lucky brat…" he growled at it.

"Eh…who are you talking to, Madara?"

Madara leapt off the wall, standing to attention when he realized Hashirama had arrived. He had apparently heard his last comment that was directed at his midsection. Hashirama gave him a bewildered look, his eyebrow raised as he attempted to put his words to some meaning.

"I was talking about your brother," Madara skillfully lied. "Being in the position he's in as your advisor, not to mention he's family…"

"Leave Tobirama to me. He'll—"

"You shouldn't let Tobirama make your decisions for you," Madara said, interrupting the Senju. "You're the Hokage, not him. You should be the one to say how things should be run. He's your advisor. That's all he's supposed to be."

A depressive cloud hovered over Hashirama as he hunched over. "I know…I'm a weak-hearted fool…"

Madara's eyebrow twitched. "You really need to stop getting depressed so easily…"

"Well, at least I have you to reprimand me for it so I _can_ stop it!" Hashirama laughed.

"I'm not your mother, Hashirama."

"Sometimes you tend to act like one, Madara."

Something cracked inside him at that comment.

"I act like a _mother_?" he said through gritted teeth. "You're saying I act like a doting woman over every little twerp that passes by!?"

Hashirama blinked at the sudden change in Madara's mood. "I never said that."

"Bite me, Senju!" Madara snapped as he began heading into the forest without Hashirama.

"Madara, wait! Come on! What'd I say!?" the idiot shouted as he trailed after Madara.

Madara ignored Hashirama. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of his condition. Technically, he _was_ going to be a mother. That title was not something that he wanted. It was effeminate; emasculating. He was Madara Uchiha. He did not need to be downgraded by the title of "mother". Not to mention that if anyone found out, his life was over. He'd forever be labeled a freak for being able to carry children. Who would care about his battle prowess? All they'd know is that he was the guy who had man babies. He inwardly shivered at the thought. What would Izuna think? What would Hashirama think?

He disregarded Hashirama the whole trip to the place they were supposed meet with the Rain shinobi. Hashirama became depressed when he realized that Madara wouldn't talk to him. That irritated the Uchiha. It only made him want to apologize, but Hashirama didn't deserve it. It was his fault he was stuck in such a precarious position.

Madara paused in his tracks, causing Hashirama to run into his back. The Senju let out a small sound of discomfort before he backed up. He rubbed his nose, which unfortunately had hit Madara's head when he suddenly stopped.

"Madara?"

"Shh," the Uchiha hushed. "They're hiding in the trees."

Hashirama's expression hardened. "An ambush?"

Not two seconds after he said that, Madara threw a kunai at Hashirama. It passed over his shoulder and nailed a Rain shinobi in the head. Hashirama stiffened, realizing how close he had been to getting killed if Madara had not been there.

"Yes. An ambush," Madara answered, entering a battle stance as more shinobi appeared out of the trees. "Watch my back and I'll watch yours, Hashirama."

Hashirama placed his back to Madara's, smirking to himself. "I owe you one for that last one. Remind me to get you something nice after this."

"Food would be nice. I didn't get to eat before we left."

"Got it. Dinner it is."

Madara and Hashirama jumped away from each other and into the fray of battle. Despite being outnumbered, the two clan heads and village founders were not outclassed by any means. Hashirama used his Wood Release abilities to block all water jutsu sent at him and defeated all of his opponents with swift punches and kicks in all the right places. Madara, on the other hand, was a bit irritated during his battle. On the outside, he moved with fluid motion around his opponents as if he were dancing rather than battling. But he was by no means pleased. The strain of his pregnancy was hindering both his movements and his chakra flow. Being an Uchiha and the clan head, Madara expected nothing but perfection from himself in everything. Despite defeating every opponent that dare approach him, he was rather upset by his mediocre performance.

A Rain shinobi charged at him, sword poised to kill. Madara smirked at the fool. He was running right towards his downfall. Madara was prepared to meet him head-on when his vision blurred. He suddenly felt lightheaded and the strength in his legs melted away. He lost his footing, stumbling to the ground. He held his head, cursing at his luck as he squinted through his fuzzy vision. He watched as the grinning shinobi sped towards him. He was too close now. Madara knew he wouldn't react in time to counter the blow thanks to his girth slowing him down. His other arm immediately went around his middle to protect his stomach as he waited for the inevitable strike to his being.

Much to his shock, Hashirama rushed in front of him and intercepted the Rain shinobi's attack. A piece of wood came out of the ground, stabbing the shinboi through the chest and killing him. The lifeless body fell to the ground while Hashirama panted. Madara was wide-eyed as his brain interpreted what had just happened. Did Hashirama risk injury just to save him? He felt his heart skip a beat at the thought. A fluttery feeling erupted in his chest. He shook his head, giving a brief glare to his midsection. Damn the parasite for causing him problems and messing up his moods!

Hashirama held out a hand for him. "Are you alright, Madara?"

Madara reluctantly took the hand as Hashirama pulled him up. "I'm fine. I had everything under control."

"You suddenly collapsed. You weren't using the Mangekyou Sharingan, were you?"

"Of course not," Madara scoffed, crossing his arms once he was on his feet. "Weak and pitiful vermin like them aren't even worth using my Sharingan on. I merely had a dizzy spell from hunger at a bad time."

Hashirama looked unconvinced, but he decided to drop the subject. Madara sighed, straightening himself out and stretching his arms and back. His back was sore from moving around so much while shifting the weight in his middle. He had to appear infallible to the Rain shinobi once they discussed their little assassination attempt on the Hokage. He walked forward, nodding his head in the direction they were supposed to go. Hashirama sullenly followed after him.

The meeting with the Rain shinobi was a tense one. The shinobi had attempted to threaten the two ninja for killing their men, but Hashirama had calmly explained that they were defending themselves and did not attack first. Madara gave a little more persuasion to their claim with a few well-directed Sharingan glares. He wanted to instill fear into those fools. He was not a shinobi to be trifled with. He wanted to let them know that Konoha could easily crush them if they ever tried a bold stunt like their assassination attempt again. Despite his reasons, Hashirama handled them more diplomatically. He had proposed a treaty to help prevent future conflicts between the two villages from happening.

Once the whole fiasco was sorted out, Hashirama had decided to fulfill his promise to Madara and took him to a restaurant when they returned to Konoha. Madara was slightly surprised. He hadn't thought the Senju would keep his word. As soon as the fumes of food his nostrils, his mouth began watering. He was famished after the whole ordeal. He wanted something hot and spicy and he'd finally be getting his wish! He gorged down on takoyaki smothered in hot sauce. Lots and _lots_ of hot sauce. Hashirama gave him a disgusted, yet incredulous face when he noticed the sudden shift in palates that his friend had. Madara was too busy savoring the mixed flavors to care about what the Senju thought of his unique choice. Who knew such a weird combination would taste so wonderful?

"Ah…Thank you for the meal," Madara said to Hashirama as they began to walk down the quiet streets of Konoha to return to their homes.

"No need to thank me," Hashirama laughed, smiling brightly at him. "Though I've never seen anyone scarf down takoyaki layered in that much hot sauce so fast before."

"I was hungry!" the Uchiha retorted. "I told you I didn't eat before we left. That was _hours_ ago."

"Sorry…" Hashirama meekly apologized as he slumped over depressively.

"Don't apologize for things you can't control," Madara sighed. "It's not your fault the Rain shinobi decided to do something foolish."

"_It's also not your fault the little monster chose to form inside me either…_" he thought, his hand briefly touching his carefully hidden abdomen.

"More indigestion?" Hashirama asked.

"Yeah…I suppose so," Madara answered.

"Madara Uchiha! You bastard!"

Madara perked up at the sound of his name being called. He spotted a clearly drunk individual stumble up to him. Two other men rushed up to him, grabbing his arms and attempting to drag him away. The drunk resisted, pointing an accusing finger at Madara.

"You goddamned Uchiha!" he slurred. "You're still in the village? Might as well kiss the place goodbye!"

Madara stiffened, his hands gripped into fists as he attempted to calm his temper. He was a drunk. He was nobody. He wasn't worth his time.

"I keep tellin' ya! He's gonna be the end of all of us! I even bet he was reason his family died too!"

"You're _dead_," Madara growled, his Sharingan burning in his eyes.

Before he could gut the lowborn filth that had insulted him and his family, Hashirama held him back. He struggled against the Senju's hold while the other two men literally dragged the drunk away from him, itching to get as far away from Madara as possible. Madara grit his teeth together as a maelstrom of emotions whirled through his mind.

"Unhand me, Hashirama!" he snapped. "I'll track him down and burn him alive!"

"That's exactly the reason why I'm doing this!" Hashirama countered.

"You don't understand. I…I tried to…"

Hashirama hesitantly released his hold on the Uchiha. Madara hung his head low, his bangs hiding his face from him. His shoulders trembled and he was breathing harshly. Madara raised a hand, rubbing his eyes. Hashirama moved in front of the Uchiha, a startled look on his face. Madara was frowning, his eyes filled with tears. The Uchiha stubbornly tried to wipe away the mutinous droplets, but more took their place as they ran in trails down his face.

"Madara?"

"He doesn't understand. Neither do you!" Madara snapped. "You have no idea of the guilt that constantly haunts me! I couldn't save my brothers. I stood by helplessly as I watched my father die before my eyes. Now I'm cursing another's existence because of a foolish mistake I made. Now I'm dealing with…"

Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "Dealing with what?"

Madara shut his mouth. He had said too much. He began walking faster, hoping that Hashirama wouldn't pry into his business. Much to his dismay, the Senju tailed him.

"Madara, you've been…_different_ recently. You know you can talk to me if you have any problems."

"Even if I told you, you'd never want to see me again…" Madara muttered, his eyes darting to his major problem. "I don't want to drag you into my messes. I got into them; I'll handle them myself."

"Madara…"

Madara attempted to dart away as soon as the street split off into two directions. Before he could escape, he felt the Senju grab his wrist. He looked back, finding a hurt look on Hashirama's face. A piece of him broke inside when he saw that expression.

"You shouldn't have to face your troubles alone!" Hashirama said. "What do I have to do for you to trust me?"

"I _do_ trust you, Hashirama," Madara softly replied.

"Then why can't you trust me to help shoulder your burdens?"

"…It's complicated."

Hashirama frowned at him. There was a hint of betrayal shining in his dark eyes, which made Madara feel sorry for the man.

"Madara—"

"Drop it already, Hashirama!" Madara snapped, glaring angrily at the Senju. "I can handle myself! Why can't you understand that I don't need you!? What am I to you!?"

"Because…you're special to me."

Madara blinked at the heartfelt tone that was in Hashirama's voice. He remembered those exact words that came from that same sultry, sweet voice when they made love that one night. Hashirama tenderly placed his hand against Madara's cheek, bringing the Uchiha closer to him.

"I can't keep denying it, Madara," Hashirama said, bringing the Uchiha into a warm embrace. "These past few months have been a torment for me. I've been struggling with it ever since the village formed. If I don't tell you now, I'll never get it off my mind."

Madara stiffened. "Hashirama?"

"Madara, I love you."

Madara stood there, helplessly standing in Hashirama's arms. Those three words came back to him.

"I don't care what you or anyone else will think of me. If you choose to never associate with me again, I'll understand. I won't insult you with my presence if it bothers you."

Madara pulled away as soon as Hashirama relinquished his hold on him. The Senju gazed at him with such a gentle look in his eyes. It made his heart leap into his throat and the butterflies reawakened in his chest. He shook his head, backing away from the Senju.

"Forgive me, Hashirama…" Madara quietly replied. "But…I can't…"

He turned his back to him and dashed away. As much as the Senju meant to him, he did not feel the same for him. Or maybe he did and he was merely in denial? He didn't know. All he knew was that he had to get away. Far away. He focused on his hatred for the man. He had to cling to something familiar. He had to refocus his thoughts. He hated the Senju. He was a friend. He saddled him with the bundle of trouble living in his gut. Hate.

Hate.

_Hate_.

As soon as he reached his home, he went straight to his bedroom. He collapsed to his futon, too tired and confused to worry about changing into his sleeping wear. He curled in on himself, arms wrapped around his abdomen.

"Why…?" he muttered. "Why must I be forced to endure all this? Hashirama…"

* * *

**Ah, mood swings. They mess with him, don't they? So, Hashi-kun finally admits his true feelings to Mada-chan! What will happen next? Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	4. Truth

"Congratulations, Madara-sama! You're practically at the midway point!"

"Don't say that…I'm having enough issues as is."

"Like what?"

"Like this!" Madara gestured to his bulging stomach. "I can't see my feet over it! I can't bend over, my back and hips are killing me, and I have too much energy that I can't satisfy since I have no one to do it with! How do women deal with it!?"

"Don't ask me," Sayuri calmly replied. "I'm sorry, but I can't help your weight gain, your mood swings, or your…heightened libido. As for your aching joints, you should try to do some light stretching and relax more often. Stress is not good for the baby."

"It's a parasite," Madara retorted, placing his hand against his personal mound. "I can't believe there's still five more months of this. I can barely handle it now…"

"I promise it'll get better, Madara-sama. You'll see," she said kindly, rubbing his belly in an affectionate manner. "Just wait until it starts moving. You'll be happy you were blessed with such a precious gift."

"I beg to differ…" the Uchiha leader muttered, slapping her hand away. "Don't touch it."

"Alright, Mama Bear. I won't touch your baby bump," Sayuri lightly teased. "To be honest, I'm glad things are going as smoothly as they are. You've been dealing with the normal issues that most pregnant women experience. Your body is accommodating for the fetus spectacularly. Part of me still wonders how this is all possible."

"_Please_ tell me you've made some progress as to why this is possible," Madara begged. "I'd rather learn that I was once female and went through a gender change at birth than know that I'm a…freak."

"No. What records we do have signify that you were all male when you came into the world and the years afterwards. No abnormalities like bleeding or anything indicating you had a menstrual cycle. However…there is a possibility that you could be a hermaphrodite."

"A _what_?"

"It's rare, but it's a condition where a child is born with equipment from both sexes. That means you could potentially carry kids. But normally the extra additions are far too underdeveloped for use, so it still shouldn't be possible."

"In other words, I'm a freak…" Madara languidly summarized.

"Don't think of it as a curse," Sayuri told him. "Just focus on taking care of that bundle of joy you're bringing into the world."

"Just go."

Sayuri frowned at him before she left. Madara scoffed at the look she gave him. He laid down on side, resting on his futon. He had to switch sleeping positions again thanks to the bulbous shape his gut had taken. He scowled at his large abdomen, finding that his hands had gone back to supporting it. That bothered him. He had noticed he was unconsciously paying more attention to his new tenant. He avoided as much outside physical contact to his stomach as possible. His hands were constantly stroking his belly when no one was around. He was looking at it too much, both in public and alone. He even _talked_ to it as if the parasite could hear and understand the rage he felt towards it. If he wasn't careful, someone would get suspicious and pry into it. Something as abnormal as this would no doubt reach the Uchiha elders as well as the Hokage.

If he had been ignoring Hashirama before, he was full out avoiding him now. Every time he thought about the Senju, that fluttery feeling in his chest would return. His face would heat up and he desired to be wrapped in those strong arms that had held him so lovingly a month ago. His heart beat fiercely against his chest as he imagined the Senju hovering over him, pressing his lips against his own just as affectionately as he did that one night. This was not normal for him. He shouldn't be thinking such things about Hashirama, but he was. Deep down, he knew what it meant. However, he did not want to acknowledge it.

He did not want to believe…he was in love with Hashirama.

But the signs were all there and soon he could deny it no longer. The reason why he allowed the things that happened _that_ night…he felt the exact same for his old friend. It took him four months and a forming parasite to make him realize it, but now he knew. He loved that idiot Senju. The depressive mood swings, his kind heart, that beaming smile; he loved it all.

He had to tell him.

Madara pushed himself upright, struggling a bit to stand up. He changed out of his yukata for a kimono top and loose pants. Once he was dressed, he then began his fight with putting on his shinobi sandals when he could barely see his feet over his baby bump. Once he got them on, he pressed his hands together.

"Henge!"

His figure changed to look like his original physical form, fit with his favorite Uchiha mantle that he always wore before he was expecting. He rushed out of his home as fast as his current figure would allow. He tore down streets, past bewildered bystanders as he made his way towards the Hokage building. The climb up the stairs went by even slower than before, but his mind was focused on something important. He didn't need to worry about it compared to what he was going to say to Hashirama.

Just as he was about to knock on the door, it opened. Madara stood there blinking at Hashirama as his hand was suspended in midair, pausing in his action to knock on the door.

"Ah, Madara," Hashirama greeted, his usual cheerfulness seemingly gone. "Just the person I wanted to see."

"You wanted to see me?" Madara questioned. "Why?"

"Come in."

Madara followed the Hokage, watching him as he sat back down at his desk. There was a beautiful redheaded maiden standing nearby. Her hair was wrapped up into two buns located on each side of her head. She wore a flowing kimono and its color accented her dark eyes. Madara bewilderedly stared at her before he stood in front of the desk, waiting patiently for the Senju to continue.

"I have good news to tell you," Hashirama said.

Madara raised an eyebrow. "Good news?"

"As you know, the Uzumaki Clan of Uzushiogakure are distant relatives of the Senju. While we were already on good terms, they will be allying with Konoha on the condition that we strengthen the ties between our two clans. That leads me to the good news."

"Which is?"

"I'm getting married," Hashirama answered, motioning towards the woman. "The daughter of the clan head, Mito Uzumaki, is my fiancée."

Getting married. Fiancée. The words stabbed Madara's soul like sharp blades made of ice. He was too late. He had waited for too long. Now that he realized his feelings, he would never be able to express them. Hashirama was lost to him. He would be getting married to someone to promote familial ties. The revelation hurt more than having a kunai cut into him. He couldn't tell him now. The decision was set. He shouldn't drag Hashirama's name through the dirt by making him go back on his word…or revealing he had an illegitimate child.

"I see…" Madara said optimistically, even though he felt torn inside. "Congratulations, Hashirama. I wish all the happiness for you and Mito."

"Yes…Thank you, Madara," Hashirama cheerily replied, though the emotion in his eyes spoke another story.

Madara turned his back to Hashirama and headed for the door. He shut the door before he leaned against the wall. He felt tears gather in his eyes before they ran down in trails on his face. He cursed his overly sensitive emotions. It should be nothing to him. Such a thing should not make him react like this. He placed his hands against his stomach.

"I'm sorry, Hashirama…"

As the days past, the pain got worse. It was becoming harder to hold in his emotions whenever Hashirama was mentioned. Madara watched from afar as Hashirama and Mito held hands in public. He felt jealousy course through his being when Hashirama fondly held Mito in his arms. Tobirama and many other Senju approved of their marriage and were looking forward to having closer ties with their blood relatives. Madara despised Mito all the more when she kissed Hashirama so lovingly and the Senju returned that gesture. He felt sick that Hashirama looked so…_happy_ with Mito. Did Hashirama's confession mean nothing? Was he nothing more than a sideshow to Hashirama when compared to Mito? The thought plagued his mind constantly.

He soon retreated to hiding in his home most days. Sometimes he'd just lay on his futon and let the tears fall. He had given up on controlling his emotions. They were too rampant for him to control thanks to the abomination in his gut. His appetite declined and he no longer bothered with looking for Hashirama among the Konoha citizens. Seeing the Senju had become too painful for him. On days he had seen him, he had half-heartedly congratulated him and Mito again in an angry and snappish tone. He then darted away in the opposite direction, wanting to get as far away from the couple as possible.

Madara stared at his ceiling, hands placed on top of his baby bump. He wanted the agony to end. He wanted things to return to the way they were. He wanted the parasite out of him. That little monster was a constant reminder of what he would never possess: Hashirama, a normal life, and a happy family.

"Nii-san?"

Madara jerked upright, hands pressed together to form his Henge. Once his disguise was up, he cleared his throat.

"Come in, Izuna," he answered.

His younger brother came in, closing the door behind him. He went up to his brother's side, sitting down on the floor next to his futon. Izuna gave him a genuinely worried look.

"Nii-san, what's going on?"

Madara's eyes slowly drifted towards him. "What do you mean?"

"You've been so depressed recently," Izuna explained. "No one else notices, but I do. Something bad has been bothering you for the past two weeks. I'm concerned about you, nii-san. Please tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help?"

"There's nothing you can do, Izuna," Madara coldly replied. "Now go."

"Madara-nii…"

Madara turned his head away from him. "Drop it, Izuna. I already told you there's nothing you can do."

"Damn it, Madara! Why can't you be honest with me!? I'm trying to help! How can I do that if you won't let me!?"

"Otouto…_please_," Madara said, his voice cracked a bit. "I…"

Izuna blinked. "Nii-san?"

"I can't handle it anymore!" Madara suddenly yelled. "I just can't! Not when I'm like this!"

Izuna placed his hands on his brother's trembling shoulders. "Madara-nii, everything will be alright."

Madara turned back to Izuna, his eyes filled with guilt. "Otouto…Promise you won't tell a soul about what I'm going to reveal to you."

Izuna's gaze hardened. "I cross my heart. I won't tell anyone."

"You know how…my tastes have changed recently?"

Izuna nodded. "I'm aware. I saw you eating roe covered in hot sauce the other day. You _despise_ roe. I knew there had to be something wrong with you if you were eating roe of all things."

"You also remember how sick I was a few months ago?"

"Yes. Are you saying the two are connected somehow?"

Madara nodded. "Both are symptoms of my…present condition."

Izuna's eyes widened. "Condition? You aren't dying, are you?"

"I feel like doing so at times…" Madara sadly admitted. "I'd rather be dead than deal with…my parasite."

"Your parasite?"

"Izuna…You aren't going to believe me when I tell you this, but I swear that it's true. I wouldn't be hiding if it wasn't."

"Nii-san?"

Madara took a deep breath. "Izuna, I'm pregnant."

Izuna looked at him for a long time when he heard those three words. He opened his mouth, but then closed it. He shook his head, giving Madara a skeptical look.

"Madara, are you sure you aren't hallucinating instead?" Izuna suggested. "I mean, even if you were…well you know; wouldn't you be showing?"

"I have a Henge up," Madara explained. "I'm not stupid, Izuna. It's unnatural and supposed to be impossible."

Madara released the Henge, his appearance changing. Izuna flew back, his mouth hanging open when his brother's slim middle had expanded and now sported a sizable bump that he could clearly see through Madara's clothing. Madara's hair looked fuller than before and his skin seemed to be glowing, though his depressed expression humbled these changes. Izuna's eyes focused on his brother's rotund stomach. He quickly activated his Sharingan, staring wide-eyed at it when he saw another chakra located inside Madara's abdomen.

"H-H-How…?" Izuna stuttered. "I don't…?"

"Don't ask me. I don't know how it's possible either," Madara sullenly replied, hanging his head low. "I feel horrible enough as is…you don't need to remind me."

"So…it's true," Izuna said in disbelief, hesitantly placing his hand on his brother's bulging stomach. "How long has it been since…?"

"I'm four months along now…"

"Oh kami…" Izuna gave Madara a sympathetic look. "And you've been dealing with everything in secret by yourself?"

Madara shook his head. "No. Sayuri-san is helping me care for its growth. She suggested I get rid of it as soon as we learned about it. I couldn't do that to an unborn child, no matter how accidental its formation was. But…I'm starting to regret that decision. I can't handle it all. It's too much…"

"Madara-nii," Izuna said. "You're my brother. I don't care if this entire thing is unnatural. No matter what happens, I'm always going to be by your side. I'll help you through this, I promise."

"Thank you…otouto."

"So…if you're the, ahem, 'mother'…then who's the…father?"

"Hashirama is, but I really—"

Madara slammed both hands over his mouth. He spotted a look of utmost fury on Izuna's face. His younger brother had his Mangekyou Sharingan activated. The younger Uchiha stood up and immediately rushed out of the room.

"Izuna, wait!" Madara called in a panic. "Oh kami…"

* * *

Hashirama sighed as he signed another paper. The mountain never seemed to decrease, no matter how much he got done. His overload of paperwork wasn't the only thing bothering him. His upcoming marriage to Mito was weighing heavily on his mind. Yes, she was a beautiful maiden and she would make a fine wife. But he did not love her. His heart belonged to someone else; someone who he would never be together with. He held his head in his hands. Ever since he confessed to the Uchiha a month ago, Madara had been avoiding him. Madara probably no longer wanted to associate himself with the likes of him. He knew Madara's cheers for his marriage were faked. Even when he spotted the Uchiha alone for a moment, Madara would purposefully leave in the opposite direction. It saddened him that his friend despised him so. He kept his word to Madara though. He wasn't going to insult his friend if his presence bothered the Uchiha. That's why he left Madara alone and attempted to focus his attention on Mito, no matter how much it pained him to do so.

The door to his office slammed open with such force that the wall cracked. Hashirama perked up, spotting a seething Izuna Uchiha.

"Izuna-kun?" Hashirama perplexedly said.

"Don't you 'Izuna-kun' me, you bastard!" Izuna snapped, his Mangekyou Sharingan blazing with a fury unlike anything Hashirama had ever seen. "How dare you do such a thing to nii-san!"

Hashirama blinked in confusion. "Do what to Madara?"

Izuna ran up to him and grabbed the front of his robes with both hands. He brought Hashirama so close to his face that he could feel the young Uchiha's hot breath on his skin. He had never seen Izuna so furious before. What happened to Madara to cause Izuna to be so angry?

"I ought to smash them!" Izuna snarled. "Because of you, Madara is forced to go through something he shouldn't have to!"

"Izuna, please be reasonable!" Hashirama pleaded, slightly fearing for his life now. "What did I do to Madara?"

"YOU KNOCKED UP MY BROTHER, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Izuna yelled, punching the Senju in his face.

Hashirama's mind blanked out when he heard those words. All his mental power went to processing that one statement in his head. He was so out of it that he never noticed when Tobirama and Madara had burst into the room. Madara had grabbed Izuna, trying to prevent the younger Uchiha from murdering the Hokage. Tobirama quickly assessed the damage Izuna had caused his brother. The white-haired man then threatened Izuna with treason for assaulting the Hokage, to which Izuna then switched his object of rage to Tobirama. The two younger brothers proceeded to get into a fistfight when Hashirama's brain finally finished its processing.

"HOLD IT!" he yelled, causing everyone to cease what they were doing to look at him. "Izuna…did you say that…?"

"You heard me, Hokage-teme," Izuna growled. "I won't repeat myself."

"Onii-chan, what is the meaning of all this?" Tobirama immediately questioned.

Hashirama stared at Madara, who had backed away from the Senju. His eyes darted to Madara's flat midsection. It didn't look like it, but Izuna wasn't the type to beat up on people unless he had a good reason to. But how was it possible!? Men didn't get pregnant! They left that to the women!

"Madara…" Hashirama hesitantly began as he took a step towards the Uchiha. "Is what Izuna said true? Are you really…with child?"

Tobirama gaped. "Onii-chan, you _must_ be joking! Don't tell me you believe such an outrageous claim!? Men don't—"

"_Tobirama_," Hashirama snapped. Tobirama shut his mouth and began looking at an interesting stain on the wood floor. "Madara, tell me the truth. Please."

Madara bit his trembling lip, lowering his head. "Yes…"

Hashirama felt a pang in his heart at how broken Madara sounded. Madara turned his head away from him as if he couldn't bear to look Hashirama in the eye.

"I don't believe it," Tobirama stated. "It's preposterous. Even if it were true, you sure don't look it."

Madara sent a furious look at Tobirama. "I'm wearing a Henge, you naïve brat! You think I don't know it's abnormal and freakish!? That's why I've been hiding it!"

"Show us then."

Madara fumed, pressing his hands together. He hesitantly released the jutsu. In a split second, Madara's appearance changed. Both Senjus balked, seeing the stark changes between the Henge and Madara's current appearance. Both men focused on the protruding curve coming from Madara's abdomen. Tobirama pointed at the bulge, sputtering out incoherent words. Hashirama took a closer look at the man he loved. Madara always shone in Hashirama's eyes, but now he was literally _glowing_. His normally pallid skin was a radiating peach color and his hair looked thicker and softer than before.

Hashirama tentatively placed his hand on Madara's stomach, sending chakra through the skin to check for foreign objects. He jerked his hand away when he sensed another chakra respond to his. Madara gave him a saddened look before he lowered his head again.

"Oh kami…" Hashirama breathed out. "And I'm the…?"

Madara nodded. "It happened that night we celebrated Konoha's naming and opening. You got wasted. Then you started saying things…and doing things…and I foolishly went along with it."

"That was four months ago…You've been dealing with it this entire time?"

"Yes."

"Can I please smash his wood?" Izuna asked. "I'll make sure he never uses it again!"

"Don't put the entire blame on onii-chan for this mess!" Tobirama snapped. "Your brother must have seduced him!"

"Madara-nii would never lower himself to such a level! Your brother took advantage of mine!"

"You Uchiha have those cursed eyes. A simple genjutsu can do wonders."

"I oughta—"

"Quiet!" Hashirama shouted, shutting both younger brothers up. "Otouto, Izuna; can you give me and Madara some time alone to sort things out?"

Tobirama and Izuna grudgingly nodded their heads before they went back to glaring at each other. The two exited the room and closed the door. Hashirama looked back to Madara. He motioned the Uchiha to sit down on his desk. Madara gladly took the offer, resting his aching hips on the smooth wood desk.

"Madara, why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"I didn't want anyone to know. Not even you," Madara explained with a soft voice. "If this ever got out, not only would I be ostracized but your name would be dragged through the dirt. I couldn't do that to you…"

"I'm so sorry…" Hashirama despondently apologized. "I put you through so much strain…"

"I told you before that you shouldn't apologize for things you can't control. You and I had no idea this could happen. It wasn't supposed to be possible."

"But it's still my responsibility," Hashirama retorted. "If I'm the father, I have a duty to help you with this."

"Of course it would be your duty. But I don't want nor need it."

"But—"

"You have a duty to your future wife," Madara coolly replied. "Your marriage to her is far more important than taking care of a freak and his parasite."

Hashirama grimaced. "You're not a freak. You never were and you never will be."

"Look at me, Hashirama!" Madara heatedly yelled. "I'm a pregnant _man_! I'm an Uchiha! We're supposed to be rivals! I can never compare to the grace and fidelity that Mito has!"

"It's true that Mito has grace. She is beautiful and lively. She has complete trust in the ones she cares about. She would make the perfect wife for any man. But there is one thing that she does not have." Hashirama cupped Madara's cheek. "She does not have love."

Madara stared at Hashirama in shock. "What?"

"Our upcoming marriage is strictly political in nature. She made it clear to me that she respected me and that she was honored to be my future wife. However, she told me this without any sort of love in her eyes. She is a product of what her father taught her to be: the perfect wife and a worthy shinobi. I believe she can find love, but it will not be in me she finds it."

Madara could feel his eyes tearing up. "Hashirama…"

"I meant every word I said to you a month ago. I don't care what you think you are. You are Madara Uchiha. You are my best friend. You are the man I fell in love with. Nothing will change that. Even if you hate me and my guts, I'll accept whatever reaction you give me."

Madara grabbed the front of Hashirama's robes, pulling the Senju into a sweet and passionate kiss. Hashirama's shock was soon overcome by the desire to kiss back. He ran a hand through those soft midnight locks, giving back every ounce of affection he felt for the Uchiha in that one moment. Madara pulled away, looking into the Senju's dark eyes.

"How's that for a reaction, you idiot Senju?" he teasingly replied.

"A good one," Hashirama lightly laughed. "I promise I'll help you through this, Madara. My word is my bond."

"You are such a naïve fool," Madara chuckled. "But I suppose that's why—"

Madara cut off, his hand flying to his swelled stomach. He looked down, an expression of confusion on his face. He slid off the desk, his other hand soon joining the one touching his bump.

"What's wrong?" Hashirama asked, concern written all over his face.

"I don't know," Madara answered. "I swore I felt something fluttering…"

The Senju raised an eyebrow. "Fluttering?"

"Maybe I was just imagining it. Could be—" He jerked his head down again. "There it is again! It's like something's brushing against me on the inside."

Hashirama let out a high-pitched cheer, kneeling down and placing his hand on Madara's stomach. "She's growing strong!"

Madara gave him a bewildered look. "Huh?"

"I've heard about this. This is called quickening. The baby's finally big enough for you to feel her movements now."

"Baby? She?"

Hashirama nodded. "Yeah. That's what she is. A baby."

"Baby…" Madara muttered, his hands interlocking underneath his bump. "_My_ baby…"

"_Your_ baby," Hashirama repeated happily. He placed his face against the bulge. "Hey, girl! This is your daddy; your _favorite_ parent!"

"How do you know it's a girl? It could be a boy," Madara corrected, shoving Hashirama away. "And who entitled you as the favorite parent?"

"I can dream, can't I?" Hashirama muttered, a depressive cloud hovering over him.

Madara laughed. "You _wish_."

* * *

Tobirama listened in on the conversation between his brother and Madara using the glass he had placed against the door. Izuna had joined him, doing the same thing. Both brothers were scowling as Hashirama and Madara had finished their talk.

"Well, this is _wonderful_," Izuna growled, placing his glass down before crossing his arms. "Just when I think I'd finally get that bastard Senju away from nii-san, they become closer!"

"You think you're the only one who dislikes this?" Tobirama snapped. "I'd rather gouge my own heart out than see onii-chan being intimate with Madara."

"I can see what's happening, but they don't have a clue," Izuna sighed. "At this rate, they'll be proposing by week's end."

"I won't allow it!" Tobirama declared.

"Tobirama."

The Senju directed his attention to the despicable Uchiha. "What?"

"I hate you with every inch of my body," Izuna began. "But the thought of nii-san being together with that blundering idiot makes me want to pull my organs out through my ears. You'd want to do the same, right? If we want to stop those two, we'll have to do something about it."

"I loathe saying it, but you're right…" Tobirama sighed. He held out his hand. "Truce?"

"We won't harm the baby."

"…Fine."

"And we won't stop until they hate each other's guts."

"Agreed."

Izuna took the hand and shook it. And thus, a new partnership was born.

* * *

**The truth is out! Hashi seems more than happy to be a daddy, isn't he? And now we begin the TobiIzu bonding as they attempt to separate their big brothers! Stay tuned for next chapter!**


	5. Bonding

"Ow."

"Madara? Are you alright?"

Madara had knelt down on the forest ground, rubbing the side of his baby bump. Hashirama gave the Uchiha a concerned look.

"What happened?" Hashirama asked.

"He's really active right now," Madara explained. "I can feel him squirming around in there. I swear I'm going to have bruises on my intestines by the time this thing comes out."

"It's a baby, not a thing," the Senju corrected, placing a loving hand on the bulge. "Watch what you say around her. Sayuri-san said she's able to hear voices by month five, which is where you're at right now. You don't want her thinking her name is 'thing' when she comes into the world, do you?"

"Well…no…"

"Then be nicer to your baby."

"Ah!" Madara hissed, rubbing his belly again. "Son of a—"

"Hey! What did I just say? Unborn ears are listening!"

"Then you become five months pregnant and see what it does to you!" Madara snapped as he struggled to stand up. "And stop referring to it as a girl. It's going to be a boy."

"How do you know?"

"Father's intuition," Madara replied with a smirk, looking down at his baby bump.

Hashirama smiled at the kind look on Madara's face. "Sounds like you're finally starting to accept your role in all this."

"It's taken some time, but I'm starting to believe that…maybe being a parent won't be so bad."

"Don't worry about it. You'll make a great parent, Madara."

"Ow!" Madara yelped before he narrowed his eyes at his stomach. "It's just the one side. Why?"

Hashirama placed his hand on the area where the child had been kicking. "Hey, settle down in there! Mama doesn't like it."

"Don't call me that! I'm not—" Madara's eyes widened before he looked down again. "He stopped moving."

"See? What did I say?" Hashirama laughed. "Talk to her more often. I think she'll appreciate it."

"What would I even say?" Madara asked, taking hold of Hashirama's hand as the Senju helped him over the rough terrain. "Talking to my stomach sounds…weird."

"Think of it as talking to your baby beyond a barrier. She'll hear your voice no matter what, but maybe directing it towards her will help you bond with her more. After all, she's already bonded with you. The least you can do as her mother is do the same."

"Don't call me a mother! It's effeminate!" Madara growled. "That's the first thing I'm going to teach him as soon as he's out: call me father, not mother."

"Then what am I supposed to be?" Hashirama muttered as he slumped over depressively.

"You can be 'Daddy'."

Hashirama perked up. "I'm fine with that!"

Madara sighed at Hashirama's jovial attitude. The two clan heads continued their way through the forest, pausing every now and then for Madara to rest. The Uchiha was not happy that walking had become a chore for him now and he actually had to catch his breath. He also wasn't pleased with the fact that he was getting huge. His weight had increased rapidly and it was taking its toll on his hips and lower back. The occasional kicks he would feel were strong, which kept him up at night. Even though he had intended to show Hashirama the place they were going to, a small part of him merely wanted to stay in bed and hide under the covers to conceal his large figure. Hashirama eased his insecurities, telling him he was perfect as always and no amount of gained weight would change that.

The two arrived in an open field, covering in a variety of flora and plant life. Madara took Hashirama's hand, leading him past various stones that had names carved on them. Hashirama felt uneasy as they passed by row after row of those stones. He soon understood where Madara had brought him.

It was a graveyard.

Madara paused, stopping in front of an ornately carved tombstone. The Uchiha bent over slightly, his hand placed against his back as he plopped down on the ground to rest again. Madara groaned, stretching out his back as he looked at the stone. Hashirama knelt down, his finger tracing the names on the cool material. He spotted four names he didn't recognize and one he did. Tajima Uchiha.

"So this is your family's resting place?" Hashirama quietly asked.

"Yes…" Madara answered. "My father, my mother, and my three brothers. Only tou-sama is buried here. Okaa-chan was buried elsewhere on the battlefield and we never recovered my brothers' bodies."

"Do you miss them?"

"I do. Even as strict as tou-sama was, I miss him too. Though he'd be disgusted at how I turned out…" Madara muttered, placing his hand on his baby bump. "He'd think I'm a monstrosity if he saw this…"

"I understand," Hashirama said reassuringly, joining the Uchiha on the ground. "Otou-san would have disowned me if he knew that I fell in love with another man."

"Hashirama?"

"Hm?"

"To be honest, I'm a little…nervous about this whole thing; especially when he's supposed to come into the world."

"How so?"

"Like…how am I going to give birth to him? What if he comes out deformed? Or he's a stillborn? Will I die after he's out? I won't be able to go anywhere when I hit those last months and someone might notice that. And what if someone _does_ find out about this? There're so many things that can happen…"

Hashirama wrapped an arm around Madara, pulling his love into a comforting embrace. "Everything will be fine, Madara. She'll be perfectly healthy and so will you. We'll find a way to sort things out if the unthinkable happens."

"I told you before, it's a boy."

"I disagree. It's a girl."

"Okay. Say that you _are_ right and it _is_ a girl. What would we call her?"

"Ah…I have no idea. I haven't really thought about names. How about Sakura?"

"Too cliché."

"Yuki?"

"No. Still too common."

"Mizuki?"

Madara shook his head. "Better, but it doesn't jump out at me. I would want her name to be special."

"I suppose it'll come to you when the time is right," Hashirama sighed. "What about boy names in case I'm wrong?"

"I like Ryo or Akio, but I'm leaning more towards the former."

"Really? I prefer Akio more."

"He's in my body. I get the say over it."

"I'm the father. My opinion counts too."

"Key word: opinion. It's not a direct decision you can make on your own without my consent."

Hashirama began laughing. "Look at us. We're arguing like a married couple already!"

Madara snorted at the comment. He had to admit, the Senju was right. He smirked at how easily he was able to talk about the parasite to Hashirama. The "parasite" term he had given his baby had taken on a more affectionate meaning now. He even noticed he had begun referring to it as _his_ baby. Three months ago, he certainly would never have imagined he'd get to a point where he actually started to like the idea of being pregnant. Hashirama had taken to his side and stuck there like a leech ever since he found out about it. He promised he would be there always. That's when Madara realized that the mood swings, the weight gain, the back aches, the morning sickness, and the raging hormones would all be worth it in the end when they greeted their child into the world. He didn't care whether it was a boy or a girl. It would still be the child they made together.

"So…what about your mother? What was she like?" Hashirama began, bringing Madara out of his thoughts.

"Okaa-chan?" Madara paused to think about it. "She was definitely memorable. A lot of the Uchiha women constantly griped about how jealous they were of her beauty. She was kind, but strong-willed. She wouldn't bow down to gender roles, so she often got into trouble with tou-sama when she didn't agree with him. But she was always a comforting presence in my life. I loved her dearly…"

"Did she die because of the Senju?" Hashirama hesitantly asked.

Madara shook his head. "No. She died after birthing Izuna. Something about her heart failing her. I never blamed Izuna for her death though. In fact, I felt bad that he would never get the chance to really know her as a mother."

"I'm sorry…"

"What are you apologizing for? Things happen. Life goes on. That's just how it is."

"I suppose…"

"What about you?"

"Me? Kaa-san was…a warrior through and through. Whether on the battlefield or reprimanding us, she was scary. But she always had that kind and gentle 'motherly' side of her; you know what I mean? She taught us a lot alongside otou-san and she loved kids. She always hated seeing children sent to their deaths. I kinda picked that up from her, I guess. She died the same day Kawarama died. She was trying to protect him, but…"

"The Uchiha took her and your brother away from you," Madara sullenly stated.

"Yeah. As much as it pains me to think about their deaths, I've never hated the Uchiha for taking their lives. The Uchiha have families and loved ones they wish to protect too. That's why I desired to try and change our world. That way, children wouldn't have to fight and loved ones could be spared from that same agony I felt."

"Well, things are slowly changing," Madara noted. "You finally achieved that silly dream you were always going on about when we were kids."

"_We_ achieved it," Hashirama corrected. He slid closer to Madara, putting his hand on the Uchiha's round stomach. "Just in time for her to come into the world. I wouldn't want her to suffer through war like we did."

"Neither would I," Madara said, placing his hand on top of Hashirama's.

Hashirama gazed into Madara's eyes, slowly inching closer to kiss his lips. He was interrupted when he felt a tap on his palm. His eyes darted down, feeling the tap again. He soon smiled, realizing what it was.

"You think he wants attention or something?" Madara guessed. "He keeps kicking me."

"I suppose so!" Hashirama laughed. "She is definitely an active one, isn't she?"

"He gets it from you. You Senju have too much stamina for your own good."

"And you Uchiha have self-important egos the size of Konoha itself. She obviously gets that from you."

Madara elbowed Hashirama under his arm, causing the Senju to recoil from the pain. "You idiot! You're lucky I have feelings for you, otherwise I'd beat you into a bloody pulp for that comment!"

"I love you too…" Hashirama moaned, twitching a bit at the deadly aura around Madara. "Note to self: he still hasn't gotten over the mood swings yet…"

"Ow…"

Hashirama sat back up, rubbing his bruised side. "Did he kick you again?"

"No. That was definitely not a kick," Madara answered, curling up slightly and looking a bit worried. "I haven't felt cramping that bad since the first month, before I knew of the parasite."

"Try not to push yourself so hard," Hashirama said. "As much as you like to think you're untouchable, you have someone else's life you need to consider."

"I know…" the Uchiha sighed. "The parasite has made that clear to me more times than I care to remember. Even if I don't mind the idea of being a parent, I still don't think I'm ready for it yet."

"You won't be alone. You have me, Sayuri-san, and Izuna-kun to help you. What could go wrong?"

Madara opened his mouth to reply, but a loud cracking sound interrupted him. He snapped his head up, finding a large tree branch coming down right above him. His eyes widened. He wouldn't be able to react quickly enough to get out of the way. His mind flew to the little life inside him. His arms wrapped around his baby bump, the rest of his body bending over to protect stomach.

He felt strong arms grab his form, lifting him up into the air. He felt wind swish past his hair as he heard the tree limp smash into the ground with a loud crash. He never noticed when he had closed his eyes. He precariously opened them again, spotting the mess on the ground where he once was. He also noticed he was somewhere on another tree branch. He turned his head, spotting a relieved Hashirama as the Senju let out a shaky breath.

"That was close…" he said, a bead of sweat trailing down his face. "That almost hit you."

"Why…?" was the only thing Madara could say.

Hashirama gave him a warm and loving smile. "I promised I'd always be by you side. I want to be able to protect both you and our child. I told you my word is my bond. That's not going to change."

"Hashirama…" Madara began. "Please don't hold me bridal style like this. I don't like it."

"Well, I couldn't do it over-the-shoulder. That'd squish the baby! How else was I supposed to carry you?"

Madara frowned at him. "Fine. You win this round. But don't ever hold me like this again. It's unbecoming."

"Don't know if I want to," Hashirama retorted with a smirk. "I rather like it. It makes it easier to do _this_."

"Hashirama. Don't you dare—"

Madara was cut off when Hashirama brought his head closer to him to kiss his lips. The rage he felt for the Senju slowly melted away, as did his strength to resist. He wrapped an arm around the Senju's neck, giving back what was given. The baby began nudging him inside, as if encouraging him to go farther. He decided to listen to the twerp's suggestion.

After all, his body desperately wanted _it_ for quite some time.

* * *

"Son of an Uchiha!" Tobirama cursed, looking miffed as he dropped his binoculars. "That didn't work as well as I had hoped."

"You bastard!" Izuna hissed into his ear. "I said we weren't going to hurt the baby! What were you thinking!?"

"I don't particularly care what happens to that monstrosity," Tobirama snapped. "It can go to Hell for all I care."

"It's a _baby_!" Izuna repeated. "Even if it is unnatural as to how it formed, it's still innocent in this whole mess. Don't put a blameless child into such danger!"

"You don't want to hurt it simply because of the fact that _thing_ is in your brother. What will you do if that 'blameless' child takes your brother's life when it's finally born? A man was not designed to birth children, much less carry them in the first place. It _will_ kill him sooner or later. If I'm lucky, it'll be sooner."

"I…I still wouldn't hate it," Izuna answered. "Because the same thing happened to our mother when I was born…"

Tobirama gave the Uchiha a surprised look. Izuna bit his lip, frowning at what he was revealing. He would never have said such things to a Senju, much less Tobirama of all people, but he felt the need to defend his brother's baby. It was family and he learned that he needed to protect his family, no matter what.

"She died bringing me into the world. Madara-nii said that he and my other brothers never hated me for that. If such a thing happened to nii-san…I wouldn't want to put the blame on his child. He'd never forgive me if I did."

"It seems you're a bit softer than I gave you credit for, Izuna Uchiha," Tobirama stated, looking away from him. "I still don't buy it though. I refuse to accept that thing as my future nephew or niece. I don't care if onii-chan loves it and Madara; I won't allow either of them to destroy the prestige of the Senju!"

"You really are a bastard, both on the battlefield and in ordinary life!" Izuna snapped. "You don't give a care about human life, do you!? Clan of love, my ass!"

"How dare you accuse me of not being capable of considering the lives of others!" the white-haired Senju shouted. "You should—"

There was an ominous crack, causing both of the younger brothers to still themselves. Their eyes simultaneously looked down at the tree branch they were on, spotting a decently sized crack that was not there before. They both made eye contact when there was a resounding snap, Izuna shouting out what they were both thinking at that one moment as they plummeted to the ground.

"CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!"

The two tumbled to the forest floor, their bodies entangling themselves as they tried to gather their bearings. Izuna blinked when he realized he was gazing into deep red eyes and he was nose to nose with his hated enemy. Izuna jerked back, feeling both violated and embarrassed. Tobirama's red eyes dilated before they clenched shut. Izuna raised an eyebrow at the strange expression the Senju's face had twisted into.

"Izuna, you're sitting on my…"

The Uchiha looked down, seeing that he was indeed sitting on the forbidden area. He leapt off the other man, a fierce blush staining his face and his heart pounding against his ribcage. He shook his head, forcing his mind to get rid of the dirty images that had assaulted his mind. Tobirama stood up, brushing off tree leaves and dirt from his pants. He straightened his form out, trying to regain his composure and recover from the suggestive position he had been in.

"Okay, so your plan didn't work…" Izuna coughed out. "I get to plan our next course of action, alright?"

"…Fine," Tobirama scoffed, crossing his arms. "Let's see if you have any better luck than I did, Uchiha."

"Bastard Senju," Izuna snapped back, though the blush on his face hadn't disappeared. He snatched the binoculars off of Tobirama's neck and leapt back into the trees. He landed on a branch and peered through the device. "If anything, that plan only made them closer."

"Oh, shut up. Like you could do better," Tobirama retorted. "What do you see now?"

"I don't really—Oh, Rikudo Sennin! My _eyes_!"

Tobirama frowned in confusion when Izuna retreated back to the ground, covering his eyes with his hands and shaking his head rapidly. He shivered in disgust as his body convulsed.

"What is it?"

"They're going at it like bunnies!" the Uchiha bemoaned. "Oh, _why_ did I have my Sharingan on!? I can't get the scene out of my mind now!"

"I told you before they were cursed eyes."

Izuna narrowed his eyes at the Senju. "Just you wait. I'll make you eat those words."

* * *

Madara sighed when he finally saw the familiar wood paneling of his home. He had asked Hashirama if he would help tame his raging libido. It was definitely a strange thing for him to ask, even in the politest terms. Even when the Senju had kindly agreed, he couldn't help but feel awkward for asking such a thing from the Hokage. After all, the man was still supposed to marry Mito. Hashirama had been trying to find the right way to discuss the cancelation of the marriage, but the Uzumaki Clan Head was having none of it. The only way the marriage contract could be fully renounced was for both parties, in that case both Hashirama and Mito, to acknowledge the rejection of the marriage and annul the contract.

He blinked when he saw that the light was on in his home. He hastily went up to the door and thrust it open. He spotted Sayuri sitting down and enjoying a hot cup of tea. He spotted him, giving him a friendly wave.

"Madara-sama! I was wondering when you were going to get back!" she greeted him.

She placed her tea down and rushed to find a soft pillow for him to sit on. Once she found one, she placed it down near the table. He slowly sat down, watching the Uchiha go to one of the cupboards and pulled out an extra cup. She brought it back to the table and poured some tea into the cup before handing it to him. He gladly took the offer.

"So tell me, what were you doing today?"

"That isn't any of your business," Madara coolly answered, sipping his tea.

"I'm sorry if I seem nosy, but I have to keep up on all your activities to make sure you aren't overdoing it," Sayuri explained. "I hope you remember that whatever you do, it affects your baby in some shape or form."

Madara winced, placing his hand against his stomach. Sayuri blinked at the reaction. His expression eased up after several seconds before he let out a small breath. Sayuri then scooted over to him, giving him a harsh look.

"What is it?" she demanded. "And don't lie. You're obviously in discomfort."

"You're such a bother at times…" Madara muttered. "It's mild cramping. I've been getting it all day today at random times. What I don't understand is why they only last for a set period of time before disappearing just as suddenly as they came."

Sayuri's frowned deeply. "How many times in succession were these cramps?"

"I can't really say. One would hit at one time and the next one didn't come until a few hours later."

"I see…" the medic mused, her posture relaxing but a serious expression still on her face. "Madara-sama, can you do something for me? I need to do a relatively quick exam on you."

"I thought we did that last week."

"Well, I'm doing it again."

"What do you want me to do this time? You better not be prodding at my stomach again."

"No. I need to look at your lower equipment."

A blush marred Madara's face. "You want to look at my…?"

"Not your magic wand specifically, but below that area."

"That's even worse!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"Please, Madara-sama. It concerns the health of your baby."

The Clan Head scowled at Sayuri before he gazed down at his baby bump. The look on his face softened the longer he looked at it. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"The things I do for you…" he muttered. "Alright. But make it quick."

Sayuri smiled. "Thank you, Madara-sama."

Several minutes later, Madara was red-faced as the medic before him was gazing at his extremities. It was an uncomfortable moment for him. No one usually saw the lower half of his body. Sayuri was blushing herself, but kept a composed face before him.

"Now, Madara-sama," she began. "I need you to follow my directions exactly. It may feel invasive, but I give you my word that I am and always will be honest with my actions."

Madara huffed as Sayuri made her way over to him. She placed her hands against his hips, applying pressure against the joints. Chakra flowed out of her hands as she did this. She slowly made her away around to the back, approaching his tailbone.

"In case you're wondering, I'm checking your pelvis and how it's shaped," she explained. "Curious. Have you always had curves?"

Madara stiffened. "No. Why do you ask?"

"See, the pelvic bones are shaped in a certain way according to sex. Compared to males, female pelvic bones have more space for the baby during pregnancy and labor. Male pelvic bones are thicker and heavier since they're designed to support muscles, not supporting a child during pregnancy. But you…I'm seeing a combination of the two, almost like it's in the middle of shifting from male to female."

The Uchiha swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. That probably explained why that area was constantly killing him. He mentally sighed. He was turning into a woman before his eyes. Even his own body was rejecting his mental pleas to stay as masculine as possible during this huge change.

"Please lie down and spread your legs."

"_What_!?" Madara blurted out when he heard those words, the flush on his face scorching against his skin.

"You heard me. Lie down and spread your legs."

Madara reluctantly obeyed the command, keeping his gaze focused on his ceiling and not on the woman who was looking at his most private parts. He heard the medics crawl closer. She huffed in annoyance.

"Spread them wider."

"This isn't far enough!?"

"Just do it."

Once again allowing her wishes, he spread his legs farther. It hurt slightly to have them so far apart. It wasn't a position he was familiar with. He felt her fingers probe around the area, touching places that he really didn't want her touching. He then let out a strangled sound when he felt the woman's fingers stick themselves up _somewhere_.

"WHAT ARE YOU _DOING_!?" he roared.

"Stay still! I'm not done yet!" she snapped. "I warned you it'd feel invasive. Please bear with me until I finish."

"Just do what you want and get out from there!" he growled, his whole face burning up.

"Oh…_wow_…" was Sayuri's amazed response. "I can't believe what I'm seeing."

"What now?"

"You…actually have little opening down here," she explained from beyond his legs. "I think I can now conclude with certainty that you are indeed a hermaphrodite, Madara-sama."

"You mean…?"

"Yep. Unlike most though, you have working female parts."

He slammed his hands to his face and groaned. "I knew it…I am a freak…"

"You know what this means, don't you?"

"Not entirely."

"Since you have the right equipment, that means you'll experience the pain of contractions and labor. You've already experienced them earlier today."

"I have?"

"Yes. The cramping you've been feeling? They're practice contractions for when labor comes. It's totally normal to feel those types of contractions at this point in pregnancy. Unlike actual labor, false labor contractions are infrequent and they never get worse over a steady period of time. You shouldn't worry about them unless they happen in succession more than four times in an hour and they become increasingly stronger and more painful. That'd be a bad sign that you're ready to give birth when the baby isn't."

Madara jerked upright, now sitting on his bottom. "Give birth!?"

"Well, the baby can't stay inside you. Since you do have the opening, you can potentially give a natural birth."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just cut it out?"

"Yes, but I'm not experienced with performing caesarian sections. You don't want anyone to know about the baby, so I can't ask for help with something like that."

Madara scowled, crossing his arms as he glared at the floor. Sayuri sighed, smiling lightly at him.

"Think of it this way: while painful, it's healthier for both you and the baby. You'll also be able to hold him or her as soon as he or she is out. If you're curious enough, you can touch your baby's head as soon as it crowns."

"That sounds repulsive," he retorted.

"You'll change your tune when you come closer to that date, Mama Bear," she teased. "Reluctant mothers almost always do when they finally realize they'll see their baby soon."

"Well, I'm not like that," Madara stated, standing up and hurrying to place his pants back on. "I don't care if I _am_ pregnant. I am a _man_. I am not a woman and I am most certainly not a mother."

"Alright. But you should still bond with your baby as mothers do, even if you don't consider yourself one."

"Hashirama told me the same thing. What would I even talk to it about? It's not like the parasite will understand."

"Helpful tip: sing to it."

"_No_," Madara deadpanned, now fully clothed.

Sayuri shrugged. "Just a suggestion. I learned that mothers who sing to their children while they're still in the womb are calmed by those songs when they finally come into the world."

Madara frowned, arms supporting his baby bump. He stared at it, thinking the offer over. He shook his head. He would not lower himself any farther than he already was. He wanted some semblance of masculinity to remain in him.

"Try working with a simple melody…like 'da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da da-da-da-da-da, fu-u-u fu-u-u'. Something like that?"

"Go. I think you've overstayed your welcome…_again_."

Sayuri pouted at him as she slowly packed up her things and left. Madara sat back down on the soft pillow near the tea table, rubbing his temples to soothe the brewing headache that had decided to plague him. His green tea had cooled down to a lukewarm temperature. He silently gulped down the liquid, his eyes constantly darting down to his round abdomen. His mind ran through the things he had been told. Talk to the baby. Sing to it. Connect with it. You'll see it when it comes into the world. His hands rested on his protrusion, curiosity getting the better of him. He couldn't believe he was going to listen to those fools.

He poked at his belly a few times before waiting a few seconds. When there was no response, he did it again. When there was still no reaction, he sighed.

"I'm an idiot…" he muttered. "Why did I even bother?"

As if to answer his words, he felt a light tap against his palm. His eye darted to the place he felt the movement. Hesitantly, he repeated the same action from earlier. This time, he felt the same tap poke back at the place he had pressed against. He smirked at what he saw, deciding to try and trick the brat. He pressed in a different area, waiting and watching to see if the baby reacted. Much to his surprise, he felt it kick the new area he had poked at. He felt a light and airy feeling form in his chest as he continued to play his little game with the parasite. He soon couldn't help himself from smiling as the feeling grew. He shifted positions, deciding to lie on his side. He could feel his baby wriggling as it got used to the new position. He draped his arm over his bump in a heartfelt manner.

"I don't know if you can understand me, but…" he said to it. "As much as I've been resisting this whole 'mother' thing, I've been wondering a lot of things about you. What color are your eyes? Or your hair? Are you a boy or a girl? What will your voice sound like? All these things and more…I want to know."

The baby settled down, as if waiting patiently for him to continue.

"You're a parasite and the biggest pain I've ever dealt with…but I can't wait to see you. May I meet you soon?"

He felt a few pats against his hand when he finished. He smiled back at it.

"Maybe…being a mother won't be such a bad thing after all."

* * *

**Why does Tobirama have binoculars? Just because he can sense where people are doesn't mean he can see them. =3 So here we have some sweet HashiMada fluff and some baby bonding for Madara! Oh, and the beginnings of the shenanigans that Tobirama and Izuna get themselves into. Hope you enjoy!**


	6. Wonder

"Wow. It's…titanic!"

"I _know_ that! I've been carrying it around all day, every day for the past six months! It's kinda hard _not_ to notice I'm a freaking whale by now!"

"Actually, you're not a whale. In fact…"

"Izuna. I _dare_ you to finish that sentence."

Izuna burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, nii-san! You look like a duck when you move now! It's hilarious!"

Madara groaned, watching his little brother laugh until his sides hurt. If Izuna wasn't his brother, he'd be dead on the floor by now via a well-placed Fire Style jutsu. As much as he hated what was said, it was all true. With a growing baby needing more room inside him, his stomach had gotten bigger to satisfy that need. In fact, it had gotten so big that it had thrown him off balance more than a few times whenever he tried to walk normally. Much to his dismay, he found it easier to move when he…waddled around instead of walked. It really did make him feel like a duck and he was not pleased when that comparison kept getting thrown into his face time and time again.

On the bright side, the baby was growing strong and healthy. The movements he felt were a constant reminder of the life that was continuing to develop in him. Three more months, he continuously told himself. Three more months of pregnancy and all of its "joys" before it would finally be over. Of course, that was a thing that was weighing heavily on his mind as the weeks passed. He would have to give a natural birth to the child because of his "gift" of working female parts and the fact he wanted the child to remain a secret. That meant going through labor without pain medication. From what he learned from Sayuri…he was going to go through hell. He had heard the screams of pain before and they sounded absolutely agonizing. It honestly made his skin crawl. He had prided himself on having a very high pain tolerance, but internal pain was not something he was used to. He could handle a sword being stabbed through him and his skin being burned. That was fine. Cramping and heartburn on the other hand…not so much. The occasional constricting he felt in his gut from the practice contractions were proof enough he wasn't going to be ready for whatever discomfort that awaited him in labor.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a subtle twitch in his belly. There was another small jerk that came a few seconds later. He smirked at his mound, causing Izuna to cease his laughing spree. His brother came up to him, focusing on his stomach.

"What is it?" he asked. "Did the baby do something?"

"I think he's hiccupping again," Madara answered, hands placed on his bump and feeling the twitch again. "He's been getting them every now and then."

"Really? They get hiccups even before they're out?"

"Apparently so."

"Does it bother you any?"

"Not really. It's like a little pulse that beats in a rhythmic fashion for a several minutes. To be honest…it only makes this strange situation more real for me. This is truly happening. There really is another life living in me that _needs_ me. Even though I despise the title, I'm going to be…a mother. I'm happy I'm going to become a parent. I just hope he doesn't hate me when he finally comes…"

"You're the mother, Madara-nii. He or she will never hate you."

"How can you know that for sure?"

"Something about there being a special bond between a mother and her child. I don't really get it, but…maybe you will sometime soon?"

"Perhaps…" Madara mused, caressing his bulging stomach as the baby continued hiccupping.

"See, when you do stuff like that, it really does make you look like a mother," Izuna noted with a smirk. "You say you don't like the title, but you sure don't mind acting like one!"

"Give me a break!" Madara snapped in embarrassment. "Let's see you go through drastic bodily changes and mood swings in such a short span of time and then try to act like yourself!"

"I don't have the right stuff to do that," Izuna replied cheekily.

"I could ask Hashirama to ask Tobirama to create a jutsu for that…" Madara stated with an evil sneer. "As much as I despise that man, I admit he's a genius. He has created a number of impressive jutsu. Something like a Fertility Jutsu would be no problem for him."

Izuna paled, but a blush still snaked its way across his cheeks. "Madara…you wouldn't…"

"I was joking!" Madara laughed. "I wouldn't wish anything that I'm going through on you, otouto. Tobirama, on the other hand…"

Izuna poked his fingers together as he watched his elder brother straighten out his back. His face still burned at the mention of the white-haired Senju. Weird things had been happening to him ever since he landed on Tobirama's "package". For instance, the normally fierce hatred he felt for the man had dimmed down to mild annoyance. He supposed their constant (and failed) plans to foil the relationship between their elder brothers had something to do with it. He also had a strange urge to run his hands through those spiky locks of snow-white hair. He wondered if it always defied gravity as it seemed to do. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of the Senju. He did not need to think about his enemy in such a way. If Tobirama ever learned of the things that ran through his mind, he would never be able to show his face in front of the Senju again. Oddly enough, the thought of never seeing his eternal rival again saddened him.

"Why the long face?"

Izuna straightened up at his brother's voice. He saw Madara giving him a concerned look. Izuna smiled at how much his brother had changed within the course of six months. During the wars whenever Madara was worried about him, he would never expressively show it to him. This did not change even after Konoha was formed. It troubled him that he couldn't get his brother to open up to him in the same way he used to when they were children. War reformed people, as did the pain of losing loved ones. Madara had hidden his emotions to prevent them from being exploited on the battlefield, especially against the Senju Clan. Even though those battles had ended, he refused to give up that tactic. But ever since Madara had gotten pregnant, the massive moods swings and hormonal changes that came along with it had inadvertently helped him become more open again. It had been a long time since he had seen his elder brother so full of life. He glanced at the growing bulge that would soon become a newborn, silently thanking it for coming into being and helping his brother overcome his fortified emotional walls.

"It's nothing," Izuna replied. "Anyway, what are your plans for today? Because of your condition, you haven't been able to make the meetings with the elders of the clan as much as you used to, much less the occasional political meetings with our oaf of a Hokage. I've been able to keep them all off your back for now, but I don't know how long it'll last."

"Actually, speaking of that idiot, Hashirama wanted us and Tobirama to get together today for a picnic with him or something incredibly stupid like that. 'A bonding experience' he called it since we're all going to be family to the parasite. He doesn't want us to be at each other's throats when 'she' comes into the world. I've told that moron a hundred times, it's a boy. Why does he not listen to me?"

Izuna frowned. A _picnic_? Was Hokage-teme _serious_? Guys didn't have picnics! They got to know each other over fistfights and verbal insults! However, considering the fierce rivalry between him and Tobirama, a fistfight would not be good to have around Madara and the baby. Izuna supposed it was one of the only things Hashirama could think of to get all of them together without them getting into scuffles. He exhaled, blowing his bangs upwards slightly as he pouted. He supposed he could put aside his differences and attempt to get along with Tobirama just this once. It was for the baby and his brother.

"Alright then. When is it supposed to be?"

"Sometime around midday. He said he was going to 'come and pick me up'. I dread what he truly means by that. I swear if he holds me like I'm a damsel again, I'm going to make sure he never uses those arms of his for the next three months!"

Izuna chuckled. "I'd pay to see that."

"Izuna, you're always happy at the thought of Hashirama getting hurt."

"You're harboring a fugitive!" Izuna retorted. "That idiot deliberately went against your wishes and you were basically forced to go along with it! Even if it is a blessing, it doesn't change the fact that you didn't want anything from him in the first place! Why _wouldn't_ I wish the worst upon him!?"

"You're so cruel, Izuna-kun…"

Both Uchiha perked up at the sound of Hashirama's voice. They could see his silhouette beyond the door, his figure slumped over in his usual depressive mood swings. Izuna stood up, opening the door and giving the Senju an annoyed frown.

"I say it because it's true," the younger Uchiha snapped as he crossed his arms. "As far as I know, the other bastard Senju is no better."

"I was drunk!" Hashirama countered. "And Tobi-chan is more responsible than me, as much as I don't like admitting it! He would never—"

Izuna snorted. "Tobi-chan?"

Hashirama palmed his face. "Shoot…He's going to kill me as soon as he finds out…"

"Childhood nickname, I assume?"

"Yes. He made me swear I wouldn't say it around him or anyone else ever again, but…it stuck with me even after so long."

Izuna smirked deviously. "Don't worry. I won't say a word about it to him."

"Somehow, I doubt that…"

"Hashirama," Madara interjected, bringing both men's attention to him. "How are—"

"Holy crap, it's huge!" Hashirama blurted out, pointing at the elder Uchiha's massive stomach. "I know it's been a while since I last saw you, but _wow_! You're a tank!"

A vein pulsed in Madara's forehead. "Yes. I'm _aware_."

"You haven't been taking that 'eating for two' saying too literally, have you?"

"NO!"

"Then why—"

"My gut is housing _your_ **growing** baby, you moron! Or did you forget that!?"

"Maybe you're right. It's gotta be a boy," Hashirama mused, ignoring his fuming lover as he poked at Madara's bump. "There's no way a girl would make her Mama this colossal in such a short time."

Izuna winced when there was a loud yelp and the sound of a body crashing to the floor. He then cringed when he heard a high-pitched yell and the sound of a foot making contact with someplace it should never make contact with. He hesitantly cracked an eye open, spotting a curled up Hashirama and a seething Madara who was stomping off somewhere else. Izuna knelt down next to the Hokage.

"Still…not…over…swings…" Hashirama moaned. "Damn it…"

Izuna chuckled weakly. "This is going to be a long day, isn't it?"

* * *

"_I was right…_" Izuna internally groaned.

Izuna fidgeted in his spot, his eyes continuously darting to the shaggy-haired male sitting next to him. Tobirama looked so different without the happuri and lame Senju uniform he normally wore. He wore a blue short-sleeved shirt kimono held together by a yellow sash and blue pants along with his traditional shinobi sandals. He looked far more approachable and even a bit…attractive.

"Is there something on my face, Uchiha?" Tobirama snapped irritably. "You're incessant peeking is grating on my nerves."

"Yeah, something's on your face: your ugly mug!" Izuna retorted, turning his head away from the Senju and crossing his arms.

"Well…I'm glad things are going good so far…" Hashirama noted, sweatdropping at the tense atmosphere that was shared between the four males.

"Considering they haven't started strangling each other yet, I would agree with that statement," Madara commented, before sipping his drink.

"So…How are things?"

"Same as always. Weight gain, cramping, annoying idiots making comments…"

"Come on! I said I was sorry!"

"I don't care what you have to say."

"Madara, please?"

"No."

Izuna laughed. "Still arguing like a married couple. It's funny to see you two go at it like this rather than on the battlefield."

"I'd prefer to settle things over a good fight, but unfortunately I can't do that," Madara sighed. "This inactivity is bothering me, but I can't go about doing things recklessly."

"It's alright, nii-san," Izuna said. "After all, my new nephew or niece will be worth it! I know for sure I'm going to be his or her favorite uncle."

Tobirama snorted, causing the younger Uchiha to scowl at him. Hashirama snapped his attention to the two little brothers as the two got into a glaring contest again.

"What's so funny, teme?"

"You hardly seem like 'uncle' material," Tobirama stated nonchalantly.

"At least I'd be a better uncle than you!"

"I doubt it."

"Oh? This is coming from Sir Grumps-a-Lot. I don't want my nephew or niece picking up being a sourpuss from you!"

"I am not a sourpuss!"

"Famous last words."

"If you want to start something, I'll be more than happy to oblige, _Uchiha_."

"Bring it on, bastard Senju!"

"Easy, easy!" Hashirama called out, getting in between the two men. "I thought you both promised not to be like this."

"Why should I be forced to endure this!?" Tobirama snapped. "I want nothing to do with Madara or the monstrosity that he's currently cultivating!"

Hashirama expression became stern as he frowned at his younger brother. He clamped down on Tobirama's wrist, dragging the smaller man with him. The white-haired male struggled against the iron grip that was cutting off blood flow to his hand. The Hokage brought him close to Madara, who raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Madara. Is she awake?" he asked.

Madara narrowed his eyes. "Yes. _He_ has been awake and kicking me for quite some time."

"Good."

Hashirama pulled Tobirama closer, forcing him to sit near Madara. The two shared a mutual glare before Hashirama placed his brother's hand on Madara's stomach.

"Keep it there," he ordered Tobirama.

"What is this supposed to accomplish, brother!?" Tobirama barked back. "If you think this will change my mind about the Uchiha, you're sorely—"

He cut off and quickly retracted his hand away from Madara's bump. His eyes were wide and his scowl had turned into a confused frown.

"What was…!?"

Hashirama smirked. "I don't know. What was it, otouto?"

Tobirama's frown deepened, looking to Madara as if asking for permission to place his hand back on his stomach. The Uchiha gave the Senju a tiny smile, giving him his okay. Tobirama set his hand back on the spot it had previously been. He felt a distinct shape against his palm after several seconds, causing him to jerk his hand away again.

"That was…" He paused. "I felt a foot."

"Felt pretty human, didn't it?" Hashirama asked cheekily.

"Brother, I—"

"I'm not asking you to change your mind about the Uchiha, Tobirama. However, I do want you to understand that it's a _child_. Whether you like it or not, it will be family. I want her to be able to have a loving and understanding family. I just…I want you to be able to look at her without feeling any hatred for her simply because of her Uchiha lineage."

"Onii-chan…"

"Come on. Don't tell me you aren't a little excited to hear a child call you 'Uncle' soon?"

"I…" Tobirama began hesitantly. "Forgive me, Madara."

"EH!?" Madara blurted out in confusion.

"For the things I said about the infant. It was…unbecoming of me."

"I never thought I'd hear words like those come from your mouth, Tobirama Senju," Madara stated, ignoring the flabbergasted looks on Hashirama and Izuna's faces. "However, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

Tobirama frowned. "You're not going to make me say it to that swollen mound of yours, are you?"

"I won't, but your brother most certainly will."

The red-eyed male sighed, scowling at his luck when he saw that exact intention in his elder brother's eyes. He placed his hand back on the baby bump and placed his face close to it. The Senju felt very awkward as three pairs of eyes focused on him and what he was doing.

"I'm sorry I called you bad things," he said to it, an embarrassed blush on his cheeks. "Will you forgive your uncle?"

He felt a soft jab at his hand, as if the kid could hear and understand him from beyond the barrier of skin that separated them. Tobirama felt like a small weight had been lifted off of him. He smiled lightly, wondering if the infant was like his brother in that he or she was too forgiving for his or her own good. He pulled away, hoping to regain what sense of dignity he had left after the past few moments. He wanted to wipe the cheesy grin that was on Hashirama's face away. He scowled at his elder brother.

"Don't think this changes anything, onii-chan," Tobirama snapped. "So don't get any ideas."

"I'm not," Hashirama laughed. "I'm just happy that you've finally accepted her!"

"Even if he has, I'm still going to be the favorite uncle!" Izuna declared, looking triumphant and sneering down at Tobirama.

Tobirama narrowed his eyes in disapproval. "Coming from the pervert who peeks on women with his Sharingan activated?"

Izuna yelped. "I-I-I-I-I have done no such thing!"

"Don't lie to me! I've seen you near the bathhouse!"

"What are you reprimanding me for!? What were _you_ doing there in the first place!?"

"I spotted you and happened to follow. I wouldn't want onii-chan's kid to pick up perverted tendencies from you!"

"Well…things are getting better, I suppose?" Hashirama whispered to Madara, sweatdropping as the argument between the two brothers escalated. Madara snorted in reply, trying to keep himself from making any snide comments about the situation. "Excuse me for a moment. I have 'business' I need to attend to."

Madara watched Hasirama stand up and leave. He silently cheered once the Senju was out of sight, causing the two younger brothers to look at the Uchiha in confusion.

"Now that the idiot is gone, I can finally ask what I want from you, Tobirama."

Tobirama raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"You know as well as I do that Hashirama's birthday is coming up. As much as I loathe asking for help from you of all people, I can't do a lot of things I used to be able to do. I suppose what I'm asking is…will you work with me on making it something special for him? He's…done a lot for me and I want to thank him in some way; to show my appreciation, so to speak."

"…You really have changed, haven't you?"

"Pregnancy does _weird_ things to you, Tobirama. That's all I can say."

"I wonder if I should find a way to put a bun in Izuna's oven. Dealing with him would be a lot easier."

Izuna glowered at the Senju. "HEY! Looking like a whale would suit you more than me!"

"I was joking," Tobirama deadpanned. "Besides, it's simply not possible. You're not a woman, you ignorant fool."

Izuna blushed, feeling a tad disappointed. He then mentally slapped himself for feeling that way. Why would he be upset at such a thought? It's not like he wanted to have kids himself. That's what women were for after all. But women were so…moody. If the mood swings Madara were going through were any indication, a woman would be ten times worse during pregnancy. Honestly, he didn't want to deal with the female species. They were too confusing for him to understand. He once complimented one by telling her she looked like a strong warrior fit to be on the battlefield. She responded by slapping his face, brother of the Clan Head be damned. Turned out she was a female suitor and not a kunoichi, but he didn't see what the big deal was for her to react in such a way. It was reasons like those he kept well away from girls and stuck with his own kind: men who understood him. Men like his eternal rival, Tobirama.

He scowled. Tobirama Senju was plaguing his thoughts and that bothered him. He shouldn't be thinking such things about the man. It was disturbing and downright unnatural. He had never felt this way around the Senju before, so what was different this time around? It had to be some sort of slick genjutsu the white-haired male was pulling on him. It had to be a trick to get back at him for something!

"Very well," Tobirama answered with a smirk. "I suppose I can oblige you just this once, Madara Uchiha."

"Good. That's all I'm asking for," Madara coolly replied. He turned to Izuna. "Izuna, can I ask you to help too?"

"Of course, nii-san," Izuna said, straightening up and he attempted to distract himself from his raging thoughts. "Whatever you want. Even if it means I have to work with Tobi-chan."

Tobirama stiffened, an angry aura encasing him. "_What_?"

Izuna smirked slyly. "Oh, right. You don't like being called that, do you Tobi-chan?"

"I'm going to _kill_ him," the Senju snarled, his killer intent spiking.

Elsewhere, Hashirama felt a chill run down his spine. He knew he was going to suffer severe consequences soon and he was not going to enjoy whatever punishment he was going to receive.

* * *

Weeks passed and things still weren't looking up for Izuna. Madara had gone off to who knows where most of the time. What was worse was that his mind was still swirling with the thoughts of a certain white-haired, red-eyed Senju. Izuna was considering whether he should stare into a mirror to try and hypnotize himself with his own Sharingan in order to cease those feelings from forming.

He sighed, inhaling deeply before he opened the door. There sitting at the table in the middle of the room was the source of his troubling thoughts. Tobirama's shoulders were slumped and his face was pressed into the tabletop. Izuna felt worry bubble deep inside as he rushed to the Senju's side.

"Tobirama?"

The Senju raised his head, eyeing Izuna with weary red eyes. He let out a large yawn, a scowl forming on his face as he glared at Izuna. "Yes?"

There was a brief pause before Izuna spoke again. "Are you alright?"

"I'm dead tired. Don't talk to me," Tobirama snapped, slamming his forehead back into the table.

Izuna quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Thanks to our newest member of the family, onii-chan has been slacking on his paperwork. As Hokage, it's his responsibility to get it done. When it's not finished on time, the mountain piles only grow. I know bonding with the baby is important to him, so I thought I'd lessen the load for him. I was up all night trying to finish everything…"

Izuna felt a pang in his heart. Despite his tough exterior, his rival actually did have a caring heart behind that scowling face. It made him wonder why Tobirama was so grumpy all the time.

"So…What's the plan this time? I'm starting to think they'll never drift apart…"

"Well…" Izuna began. "Trying to split them via a falling tree limb didn't work. Neither did the mass mice release in Hashirama's home. We botched the genjutsu attempt and we totally screwed up at their dinner date. To be honest, I'm still feeling bruises from that night. What should we try next?"

"We're running out of options, Izuna."

Izuna sighed, holding his head in his hands as he attempted to brainstorm. Tobirama mirrored him, looking extremely worn and angry at the same time. Their attempts to separate Hashirama and Madara were not going according to plan. In fact, whatever they tried ended up bringing the two even closer together than they were before.

The door to their room slammed open, causing both younger brothers to bring their attention to the new occupant. A frazzled and panicked Hashirama was looking around frantically, closing the door behind him in fear.

"Onii-chan, what's wrong?" Tobirama asked his terrified brother.

"He's milking me for all I'm worth!" Hashirama cried, diving to hide under the table the two brothers were sitting at. "I can't handle it anymore!"

"That still doesn't answer my question," Tobirama deadpanned.

Hashirama poked his head up. "Madara's hormones are through the roof."

"And that means…?"

"He's horny as hell! He wants me to satisfy him!"

"I thought that was a good thing considering how well you two seem to get along."

Hashirama hid back under the table. "Otouto, you don't understand! This isn't normal horny! This is 'do it with me _now_ or I will kill you' horny!"

"I wouldn't mind it if nii-san killed you for not satiating his sexual needs," Izuna quipped. "How bad could it possibly be?"

"He's getting kinkier with his attempts, Izuna. He set a trap in my office. I got tied up and he dragged me back to his home himself, giving me a really creepy smile while doing so! I don't mind doing the nasty with him, but he wants it _constantly_. I have a lot of stamina, but not _that_ much stamina! I can only handle it so much…"

"You should have kept your wood in your trunk in the first place. Then you wouldn't have had to worry about all this now, would you?"

"Tobirama, what should I do?"

"It's your problem now, onii-chan. You figure it out," Tobirama answered.

* * *

**Eh...I'm late for Hashirama's birthday. It was October 23 and I wanted to have this chapter up by then, but...my muse got lazy. Oh well. We see some conflicting thoughts and feelings from Izuna! I wanted to focus on the budding TobiIzu moments this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed!**


	7. Connection

Izuna sighed as he made his way down the streets of Konoha. He figured a nice walk would help calm his nerves. It was the Hokage's birthday today and Madara wanted the whole spectacle to be nothing less than perfect later tonight. He had agreed to help plan the whole celebration. Tobirama had actually agreed beforehand to help with setting things up since he knew Madara wasn't supposed to do any heavy lifting in his state. He knew the Senju still hated his elder brother, but he seemed to be keeping himself in check whenever he was around Madara. He guessed Tobirama was warming up to the idea that his hated enemy was having his nephew or niece and that he shouldn't be so blatant about showing it around the baby.

Izuna pinched his arm when his mind drifted back to Tobirama. He continuously told himself to cease his perverted thoughts and to keep himself in check. How he wished he could control his feelings as well as his brother used to before he got pregnant. Things were beginning to get out of hand and Izuna feared that his dangerously avant-garde musings would be discovered by the white-haired Senju. He _couldn't_ let that happen.

A small drop of water splattered on his cheek. He looked up at the greying clouds as more droplets began descending from the skies. Izuna smirked, pulling out the spare umbrella he had brought along with him. He had a feeling it would rain based on the cloud cover. It was also a good thing that Hashirama's birthday celebration was being held inside. Nothing would ruin such an important day to both Madara and Hashirama. As much as the idiot bothered him, he never saw Madara happier than when he was near Hashirama. It made him question his morals. Should he force his brother away from the Hokage simply because Izuna did not like him? It was truly a selfish thing of him to do. He shouldn't take away his brother's happiness solely because he disapproved of the man he loved. He was starting to think he should let sleeping dogs lie.

He paused in his steps, spotting a dot of white amongst the muddy training fields where shinobi would occasionally train to hone their skills. Curiosity getting the better of him, he approached the area. Much to his surprise, that dot of white turned out to be a head of hair; a head of white hair that belonged to none other than Tobirama Senju. He spotted the nearby stumps littered with kunai and senbon needles and Tobirama himself was caked from head to toe with mud and grass. His eyes were closed, as if he were asleep as the rain pelted against his smudged skin. Izuna knelt down next to him, wondering how the normally composed Senju ended up in such a state.

Red eyes snapped open, zeroing in on Izuna's coal-black irises.

"What are you doing here, Izuna?" Tobirama snapped.

"That's my line," the Uchiha deadpanned. "One does not lie in the middle of training field and expect someone to _not_ come to check up on you."

"I was training."

"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard. You have your own private training ground within your district."

Tobirama scoffed. "Can I not be alone and be in peace for once?"

"Nope. Now tell me the truth."

"…I like the rain," Tobirama absently said.

"Why's that?" Izuna bewilderedly asked.

"It spreads across the land, reaching out to all those it touches. It connects everything together, even uniting the earth with the heavens above. It's an insignificant occurrence; an existence we take for granted, but it has a far greater effect on us all than one would think."

Tobirama redirected his gaze to the grey sky, his features softening as a faraway look appeared in his eyes. Izuna blinked at the sudden change in his rival.

"I wish I could be the rain. If I were, I could touch all those lives and make an impact on the world. Even if my existence was taken for granted, I'd still be important to those lives. But…"

There was a long silence. Izuna felt a pang in his heart as a broken look appeared on the Senju's face.

"I'm not the rain. I've never been able to influence anyone. I feel like I've been cast out of my brother's life and my existence no longer has meaning. It bothers me that I've become a ghost to him. Does my presence no longer mean anything to him? Is Madara truly more important than his last blood brother? I feel like an immature brat who can't handle sharing his elder brother with anyone. It's ridiculous and I despise feeling that way. I know it's childish to funnel my frustration through physical means, but what other choice do I have? There's no one I can truly connect with…"

"Tobirama, that isn't true."

"What would you know about it, _Uchiha_?" he spat.

"I'm sure Hashirama hasn't been ignoring you on purpose," Izuna said. "Things have been getting busy for him. You should know that better than anyone, Mr. Advisor."

Tobirama sighed. "I'm aware. I know he has more important business to deal with. But any attempts I have made to keep that relationship with my brother have been in vain."

"You know what I think? I think you should get more involved with nii-san and the upcoming birth of our nephew or niece."

Tobirama sat upright, bits of mud falling from his dirty locks of white hair. "With Madara?"

"Hokage-teme has been really focused on both him and the baby. If you make an effort to get along with nii-san and show support for their relationship, I'll bet my Sharingan that moronic brother of yours will see it. It'll be a good way for you to get back into having that close relationship you used to have."

"You make it sound so easy…"

"I had issues with nii-san spending too much time with that oaf. I felt the same way; like I was being abandoned for a love that was more important than keeping a good connection with his brother. But I brought up my concerns to him about it and he told me not to worry. Since then, he's been balancing family life with his love life. If you want to keep a close bond with Hashirama, you should put forth some of that annoyingly stubborn effort that you Senju are known for. He can't read your mind. Kami knows what goes through that head of yours."

Tobirama smirked at him. "Leave it to fate that an Uchiha of all people would be talking sense into me."

"As much as you may think I'm heartless, I do happen to have one," Izuna replied as he moved his umbrella so that it covered both of their heads from the rain. "It bothers me to see you like this."

"Since when did you care about anything concerning me?"

Izuna paused, staring into the fathomless red eyes of the man he had begun to care about. Despite being sopping wet from both the rain and the mud that clung to his skin and clothes, Tobirama still managed to retain his handsome features. He inched closer to him, their faces a couple inches apart. Izuna had a strange desire to kiss the Senju's lips and he would have acted out on it if his common sense didn't intervene. He shook his head, deciding a smile and a kind look was the most he could give the man at the moment.

"We're eternal rivals, aren't we?" he said. "I want to make sure nothing is bothering you so you don't have an excuse to use when I beat the crap out of you the next time we spar."

Tobirama glowered at him. Izuna blinked when Tobirama briskly stood up and heatedly strode away from him as quickly as possible. Izuna stood there alone as he watched the retreating form of the Senju, wondering what went wrong. He had no idea why the white-haired male had become so angry. Was it his comment? Tobirama wasn't the type to get touchy over something as trivial as an insult from Izuna. Izuna was right when he said that he had no idea what went on in that man's mind. What was going on with Tobirama to make him act that way?

A frown crossed his face. That Senju was a mystery to him. The only thing was…did he want to solve that mystery? Deep down, he felt a connection with the other man. He _wanted_ to get to know his rival on a more personal level…just like before. Why else would Tobirama be afflicting his thoughts to such a degree?

"I wonder…" he muttered. "Do you feel the same as I do, Tobirama?"

* * *

"Um…you mind explaining to me what it is you want to show me?"

"You'll see."

Hashirama raised a questioning eyebrow at his smiling brother. It was extremely rare for him to see Tobirama with such a happy expression on his face. He had to wonder what his younger brother was thinking about as Tobirama pulled him along down the streets of Konoha. He figured his younger brother must have had something planned and the end result was what was making Tobirama smile. Honestly, he felt somewhat relieved to see his otouto in such an uplifting mood. He was way too serious and sullen all the time. He needed to let loose and open up every once in a while.

Hashirama's confusion escalated when he recognized the familiar area of the Uchiha district. It increased even further when Tobirama stopped in front of Madara's home. Hashirama had his suspicions before, but now he had absolutely no idea what his little brother was planning. Tobirama dragged him through the front door, leading him towards the dining area of the home. He felt his mouth watering when he smelt the fumes of his favorite food coming from that room. Tobirama opened the door, shoving Hashirama inside. The Hokage felt surprised when he saw Madara and Izuna greeting him with kind smiles, a huge pot of mushroom mixed soup settled in the middle of the dining table.

"Happy birthday, Hokage-teme!" Izuna cheered.

"Eh…?" was Hashirama's response.

"Don't tell you're so stupid that you can't even keep track of your own birthday?" Madara quipped.

"Uh…"

"Why am I not surprised?" the Uchiha sighed, palming his face. "You are hopeless."

"Hey, things like this slip my mind!" Hashirama countered. "There are some things that take priority over celebrating my birthday. Whose idea was this?"

Madara's eyes narrowed. "It was mine. Is there a problem with that?"

"None whatsoever," Hashirama laughed, a sweatdrop running down his face. "I'm flattered, really. You didn't have to go out of your way to do this for me."

"I wanted to do it. That's my only reason. So you better appreciate it."

"Believe me, I do."

"Good. I can't stand the smell of mushroom mixed soup, but I decided to deal with it as I made it."

"_You_ made it?" Hashirama said as he sat down at the table and poured himself some soup. "Knowing that makes me want to taste it all the more!"

"Onii-chan," Tobirama interjected. "Before you start gorging down on soup, there's something else."

Hashirama straightened up. "Which is?"

Tobirama held out a previously hidden box to the Hokage. Hashirama briefly wondered how his little brother managed to hide it on his person without Hashirama noticing. Then again, his younger brother always was the more inconspicuous of the two of them. He took hold of the small box, tearing away the string that held it closed. He opened it, picking up the contents. He looked at the greenish-blue crystal attached to the thin string as it dangled in front of him, catching the rays of light and glistening beautifully. Hashirama narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Tobirama.

"You used my chakra to make this without me knowing, didn't you?" he muttered.

"Not entirely," Tobirama answered. "Part of Madara's chakra was used too. It'll respond to either of your chakra. By the way, I _had_ to do it without you knowing. It wouldn't have been much of a surprise if you knew what the gift was beforehand."

"I suppose you're right," Hashirama chuckled. "Thank you for doing this, Madara."

"Don't thank me; thank your brother," Madara corrected. "I hate to admit it, but I wouldn't have been able to do any of this if it wasn't for him."

Hashirama turned to face Tobirama. "Really?"

"I…" Tobirama began hesitantly. "I had a bit of sense knocked into me. I shouldn't try and force something apart when it has connected so well together. If being with Madara makes you happy…I should support you the same as I always have. I have no reason to complain about it, even if I no longer have a substantial part in your life."

Hashirama launched out of his chair and grabbed Tobirama in a headlock. He then proceeded to grind his knuckles into his brother's head. Tobirama cried out in protest as his elder brother gave him a noogie.

"For being the smarter of the two of us, you are so _stupid_!" Hashirama scolded him.

"Onii-chan, unhand me! Stop it!"

"I'll stop when you explain what made you think you had any less significance in my life than Madara did!"

"It doesn't matter what I thought. You have other lives you need to consider now."

Hashirama stopped his action and released his hold. He turned Tobirama around so he could look his brother in the eyes. Hashirama had a resolute expression on his face, placing his hand on Tobirama's shoulder.

"Tobirama," he said. "You are my last little brother. You always have held a special place in my life and you always will for as long as I live. If my actions within these past few months have made you think otherwise, I apologize for making you feel that way. I had no idea you I was indirectly causing you pain."

"Don't get sentimental on me, onii-chan," Tobirama snapped. "I'm not a child. I can handle myself."

Hashirama ruffled his brother's hair. "I know you can, otouto. I love you too."

Tobirama scoffed and slapped the hand away, turning away from his elder brother. The barest hint of a smile crossed his face before it disappeared. Hashirama beamed at Tobirama before he focused back on the bowl of untouched soup he had been dying to dig into. He eagerly ate the delicious food while Madara was busy chatting away with Izuna about something. Once Hashirama finished, he returned his attention to the two Uchiha.

"Madara, do you mind if I take you somewhere?"

"Where to?" Madara questioned.

"It's a secret!" Hashirama answered. "You have to come along to find out!"

"You know as well as I do that I can't go anywhere as fast as I used to."

"I'll carry you."

"No."

"Just this once? I promise that you're going to love it."

Madara groaned. "…Fine. Do what you must."

"Yosh!"

Hashirama rushed over to Madara, quickly picking up the shorter man in his arms. Madara growled at being held bridal style once again. He sent sharp looks at Hashirama, daring him to comment about his weight. Hashirama knew better than to antagonize the Uchiha about that subject. His lower parts were still sore from when he spoke ill about Madara's figure the last time.

Tobirama lingered in the dark hallway, feeling awkward and distant from the rest of them as his brother disappeared out the door and ran off somewhere with his "princess" in his arms. He sighed. He had to admit, he was rather jealous of his brother for being able to find someone who he could truly bond with. Compared to Hashirama, there was no one Tobirama could connect with on such a level that his brother had with Madara. He had no friends he could talk to. His antisocial nature always drove everyone off.

Everyone except a certain annoying Uchiha.

He eyed Izuna sitting idly by the table, who was playing with his spoon and making strange faces as he stared at his reflection in the utensil. Tobirama shook his head at such childish behavior. He had to wonder why Izuna had attempted to comfort him earlier that day in the rain and why he reacted in the way he did to the Uchiha.

It was silly of him to think so; but for that one moment, Tobirama had felt like someone other than his brother had actually cared about him. The thought that someone had bothered to deal with his attitude, but still stand by his side made him feel…satisfied; happy, even. But when Izuna had said his reasons were merely to prevent Tobirama from using excuses for the next time they did battle, he felt an overwhelming surge of betrayal and disappointment course through his being. Why he felt that way perplexed him. Izuna was his enemy. He was an Uchiha. He felt nothing but disdain for the Uchiha Clan as a whole for taking the lives of his younger brothers and their mother. Why did that hatred no longer extend to Izuna? He would ask that question over and over in his head, but he would never come up with a concrete answer. The Uchiha was an anomaly; an outlier. He disliked outliers. They only made things difficult for him in the long run.

"If there's something on my face, then say so, ya bastard Senju."

Tobirama scowled. "I'll give you the exact answer you gave me: your ugly mug is on your face, you damn Uchiha."

"Has anyone told you what a complete asshole you are?" Izuna heatedly questioned. "You aren't going to win anyone over with an attitude like that."

"I'm aware," the Senju growled. "I have issues connecting with people."

"You do?"

"Like you would care about it."

"Actually, I do."

Tobirama sent a glare at Izuna. "Oh? And what possible reason could you have for wanting to know about it?"

"Well, we're going to be uncles soon," Izuna explained as he stood up and made his way over to where Tobirama was. "I figured…maybe we could get over our animosity towards each other before the baby comes, even just a little bit?"

"Two months is hardly enough time to get over such hatred," Tobirama darkly retorted. "You and I are enemies. We can never get along."

"It doesn't have to continue being this way!" Izuna exclaimed. "Can we not return to those days when we weren't enemies? Don't tell me you don't miss them somewhat?"

"Izuna, those days are over!" Tobirama shouted. "Don't try to fix things that will only fall apart in the end!"

"Tobirama…"

"Self-sacrifice is an important aspect to the shinobi way of life. You know that as much as I do."

"I don't care about that!" Izuna yelled. "You were once my friend! As much as I've denied it, I still care about you!"

"You're as foolishly optimistic as onii-chan."

"You don't understand! To me, you've become…"

"Izuna, I made my choice and I'm keeping with it. Nothing you say or do will ever change that."

He felt soft lips press against his and in that moment it felt like time had stopped. His eyes dilated when he realized Izuna was _kissing_ him. The Uchiha had boldly gone for it when he was least expecting it. He roughly shoved Izuna away, rushing away from the Uchiha as soon as he did. He was…he honestly didn't know what to feel. Shock? Disgust? Elation? Anger? It felt like all four emotions and more had exploded in his brain, causing a mental meltdown. He needed to calm down and get a hold of his rampant emotions. He needed to get away.

Izuna stood there alone, feeling lost and stupid as his brain finally comprehended the consequences of his actions. He slammed his palm to his forehead.

"Crap!"

* * *

"Oh…wow…"

"You like it?"

"Like it? I love it."

"Yosh!" Hashirama cheered in victory as he watched Madara kneel down to touch the fallen cherry blossoms on the forest floor.

"You're such an idiot," Madara commented, picking up a blossom and holding it in his palm. "You went and planted a whole sakura orchard as a gift for our child?"

"I wanted it to be something special for her. After all, it's a miracle that she even _exists_," Hashirama replied, winking at his lover. "I want only the best for my two lovelies."

"Don't call me that," Madara growled. "And I've told you before that our child is going to be a boy. Why do you insist on it being a girl?"

"I just have this gut feeling that it's a girl. I can't really explain it in words."

"Hn."

"Come on. There's another thing I need to show you."

Madara dropped the blossom before he took the outstretched hand. Hashirama slowly led him past the sakura trees. It took a few minutes before they ended up by a river; a very familiar river. Madara sat down, feeling the rocks below him shift. He felt a myriad of emotions swirl within him as memories of a nicer, less complicated time came back to him. Times when skipping stones was a daily greeting with his old friend.

"The Naka River…" Madara said, watching the water calmly float along. "How long has it been since we were last here?"

"Too long, Madara. Too long," Hashirama responded as he sat down next to Madara.

"This place…holds so many memories…"

"Yeah. Kinda hard to believe this is where everything started."

"Huh?"

Hashirama eyed Madara. "Something wrong?"

"What is that? Right in the middle of the river."

Hashirama looked at the area Madara was pointing toward. He did indeed spot something…_different_ in the river. Black stuck out against the pale-colored stones. He stood up, running across the water to the spot. He reached through the water and grabbed the two stones. They were small against his hands, but he felt a big attachment to both when he realized what they were. He brought the stones back to Madara, handing over the one most familiar to him. Madara had a distant look in his eyes as his finger traced the familiar handwriting.

"Trap. Scram," he read aloud. "I can't believe these were still here…"

"I know. We threw these to warn each other years ago."

"Now, they serve as mementos of that time. It started with these…but it ended with them too."

"You know, I had no idea I was skipping rocks with my future lover at the time."

"I had no idea at the time that it was possible for me to get knocked up…"

"Oh, come on. You're happy for it, aren't you?"

Madara placed a hand against his stomach. "Oh?"

"What is it?"

"Someone decided to wake up," Madara answered, rubbing the top of his baby bump as he pocketed the stone. "Odd. He was quiet all day today until now."

"Maybe she knew something special was happening today and she wanted to be awake and energized for when it happened?" Hashirama laughed.

"But that means he'll be up all night keeping me awake," Madara muttered. "Such a troublesome pest…"

"I got an idea!" Hashirama exclaimed. "Why don't we tell her our story?"

"What do you mean by 'our story'?"

"Everything: right from the beginning all the way to the end."

"That could take all night."

"We can shorten it. After all, her attention span is probably about as long as mine is. Plus, it can't be too complicated for her or she won't understand it."

"Only you would be able to find reasoning behind telling a story to a fetus…"

"You can do the honors, Madara. After all, she'll hear your voice better than mine."

"Very well…" Madara sighed. "Where to start?"

"Pay attention to your Mama now; okay, baby?" Hashirama said to Madara's bulging stomach, patting it a few times. He felt movement underneath the kimono Madara wore. "Good girl!"

"This story is about your father and me," Madara began, hands placed against his belly. "And it starts when two boys met at a river. They lived different lives, but they always met at the river to skip stones together. They were a couple of brats who wanted to change the world they lived in. The world was a bad place. The two boys decided they would have to work together to bring that change. They became friends. They trained together and they talked together. The always met up at the same place by the river whenever they could."

Madara paused, looking down and frowning. Hashirama immediately noticed this.

"Something wrong?"

"So active…" Madara whispered, watching his hands shift as the surface they were placed against moved about excitedly.

Hashirama smiled. "She must like it. Keep going!"

"Right…" Madara continued. "Well, those boys were eventually discovered by their families. It turned out the boys' families were enemies. They did not want the boys to associate with one another ever again. Your father refused to abandon that friendship, but…I gave up on it. I wanted to protect my younger brother from harm. In order to do so, I had to fight against my enemies, including your father. We fought each other, day after day. Both sides suffered, but still we fought. I had refused to end the fighting and it nearly cost me everything…"

Madara paused again, his frown deepening as he returned his attention back to his baby.

"Now he's calmed down. I don't get this brat at all…" he whispered to Hashirama.

He shrugged. "Sadness, maybe? She is a smart one, after all. She gets that from you."

"Despite the things we lost and the actions we took, your father refused to give up that friendship. He wanted more than anything to bring peace to both families. He offered me that peace before. It had taken me so long to realize it, but…he never gave up on me. He never gave up on the dream we shared to create a world where children could live in peace and grow up happily. He also…never ceased loving those who were precious to him. Even now, he's still like that. That's how you came to be," Madara smiled as the baby started animatedly moving again. "There are a number of things I wish for you to be; so many that I can't name them all. But if I had to choose one…I want you to be loving, just like your father. But please don't be as stupid as he is."

"That's a low blow, Madara!" Hashirama whined.

"I say it because it's true," Madara stated. "Admit it. You've done a number of questionable actions in your life."

"And I'm about to do another one."

Madara raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Hashirama changed positions. He knelt down in front of Madara, a stern but serene expression on his face. He took both of Madara's hands in his, gazing deep into the Uchiha's eyes. He took a deep breath before exhaling.

"Madara Uchiha," Hashirama began. "You and I have been friends for a long time. Before I knew it, that friendship became something more for me. Because of that, our child came to be. We've grown even closer over these past few months. Now, I truly realize how special you are to me. I love you with all my heart. I want to spend the rest of our days sharing those feelings with each other; those feelings and so much more."

"Hashirama…You're not _serious_, are you?"

"I am completely serious," the Senju said. "Madara Uchiha, will you marry me?"

Madara was quiet for a long time. He knew such a thing was impossible. Hashirama was supposed to marry Mito. Even if by some miracle and the contract was nullified, they'd never find someone to approve their marriage and make it official. They'd forever be scrutinized simply because they were both men who loved each other. Yet, he found himself smiling at the idea of being able to be with the person he loved in matrimony. He knew what his decision was before he even made it.

"Yes," he replied.

Hashirama pulled him into a sweet and passionate kiss. Madara had never guessed they'd make it to this point. He finally believed he could achieve that loving family he had thought about having when he realized he would have to marry and carry on the Uchiha name. Things were looking up. He could feel his child move around, kicking the area nearest to Hashirama. He supposed it was the parasite's way of celebrating its father's birthday and the proposal its "mother" had just accepted. Hashirama pulled away, giving Madara a loving smile before he fondly stroked his fiancé's baby bump.

Madara suddenly stiffened, feeling an unnerving sensation settle in his chest. He felt his skin crawl. It felt like he was being _watched_. He quickly looked around, neither seeing nor sensing anything nearby. He protectively placed his hands on his stomach. He knew something was wrong, but he had no idea what it was. Hashirama didn't seem to notice his slight distress.

"It's late. It's time for little babies to go to sleep," Hashirama chided the child as it continued to move around.

"I'll handle it when I get back," Madara said swiftly.

"How?"

"Trust me. Take me home. Now."

"Aright, alright. No need to get snippy with me."

True to his word, Hashirama brought his intended back to his home posthaste. He bid his love goodnight and thanked him for all the things he had done for him that day. Once he left, Madara slowly made his way to his room. He could still feel the parasite moving around in his gut as it pressed up against his ribs.

He was silently thankful he had taken Sayuri's advice about trying to calm the baby down by singing to it. He had always done it in secret and that was how he was going to continue doing it. It was embarrassing enough for him to do so alone. If anyone ever found out, he'd never live it down. As he laid down on his futon, his arms encircled his large protrusion. In a soft voice, the words came out and the baby's movements began to calm down.

"_Madaminu anata aemasu you ni. Onaka wo sasuri itsumo negatta. Fu-u-u, Fu-u-u, donna kao shiteru ka na? Fu-u-u, Fu-u-u, donna koe wo shiteru no?_"

The movement ceased, though Madara could still feel the baby squirm a bit as it attempted to get comfortable in the new position. He ran a hand across his bump, a tender look on his face.

"Oyasumi, watashi no akanbou…"

* * *

**I'm drowning in fluff, but I love fluff! We got a lot of good stuff happening, but also bad things it seems. We are nearing the birth, so we will soon know what the gender of the baby is within the next couple chapters. Aren't you all excited? I am! What shall it be? Which parent is right? Boy or girl? Take a guess! I want to hear them! :D**

**What Madara is singing is called Okaasan no Uta and it's from the movie Wolf Children. Really cute, sometimes sad, but amazingly great movie and a really cute song for a baby lullaby, suggested by my wonderful co-author kitsunelover300. A lot of this story wouldn't have been possible if wasn't for her, so be sure to give your appreciation and thanks to her as well!**

**Translations**

**"May I meet you soon, my yet unseen child. I always wished as I stroked my belly. Fu-u-u, Fu-u-u, I wonder how your face looks like? Fu-u-u, Fu-u-u, I wonder how your voice sounds like?"**

**"Goodnight, my baby..."**


	8. Downfall

Madara Uchiha was not pleased.

The bad feeling he had down by the Naka River came full circle and he had no idea how things got so out of control. In the span of a month, with him in his eighth month of pregnancy, just about every citizen, shinobi, and clan elder became aware of Madara's "little" secret. His pregnancy and his recent engagement to Hashirama became public news, resulting in the biggest fiasco Madara had ever been in.

He growled to himself as he remembered the infuriated faces of both the Uchiha and Senju elders as they looked down in disgust at the visible mound Madara's stomach had become. How did their secret get discovered? They both had made sure they told no one and neither Tobirama nor Izuna had spoken a word about it either. That one thought alone had been bugging Madara more than the constant sceptics who knocked at his door and demanded to see the "fruit of his labors". Izuna had sent all of those insensitive morons away with threats to both their families and to the most sensitive areas on their bodies if they didn't stay away.

Izuna had basically become his bodyguard and he felt awful that he was indirectly thrusting his brother into that position. He shuddered as he remembered the mass flood of females that had trampled over Izuna so they could see Madara's baby bump. Admittedly, the women were the most accepting of his strange condition. Some congratulated him, some had touched his stomach without his permission, some made comments about a man finally understanding the pain and aggravation they went through, and some in particular insulted him by telling him how huge he was. The end result was a busted roof due to Madara using his Susano'o to drive off the offending creatures. He deeply regretted expending chakra on something so trivial. He could not access the majority of his reserves anymore since it was being used to support the growth of the baby. Using even a small amount of chakra had become difficult for him.

He sighed to himself, hands placed against his round abdomen. He could feel his child moving around again. The pressure against his ribs had gone away, allowing him to breathe more easily. He was able to move around a lot more without having to catch his breath as much. However, the brat was putting more weight on his lower parts and it showed. His gut was no longer sticking out; it had dropped down. He hated how it seemed like he always had to go and relieve himself twenty times in one day because of the new pressure placed on that area.

Speaking of which…

"Damn it!" he snarled.

Izuna, who was sitting by the tea table and drinking tea, jerked at the outburst. "Nii-san?"

"I went already! Why do I have to go again!?"

Izuna sweatdropped as he watched his fuming brother waddle towards the nearest bathroom. Madara was not enjoying himself. He was still having issues with random mood swings and it was usually Hashirama who was the butt of those swings. They were lessening in frequency, but the fact remained that they still happened. His pregnant belly had also gotten larger, which was no big news to Izuna. He was happy once he was actually able to feel the baby moving in his brother himself. There was something truly magical about feeling a baby's movement while it was still in the womb. He assumed it was due to the fact that it was a living being and he knew he would be seeing it in the next month.

Madara was getting impatient about the birth. He really wanted to "shit the parasite out" at this point and be done with it because he didn't know if he would be able to continue handling the symptoms he had been experiencing: constant bathroom trips, swollen feet, back pains, and the occasional bouts of exhaustion from carrying an extra twenty pounds located in his middle. Not to mention he was still pissed about the huge fiasco with everyone in the village knowing about his condition.

If Madara thought his life was rough, Izuna felt he was going through a whirlwind of confusion and denial. His thoughts were entirely overwhelmed by erotic and inappropriate images of Tobirama Senju. Izuna had attempted to hypnotize himself with his Sharingan when his mind escalated to such a level. It didn't work much to his dismay. Every time he thought about the red-eyed male, he could feel his lower parts get excited at the notion of touching that well-toned body and running his hands through that unkempt hair. He wasn't a fool. He knew what these reactions meant. He didn't want to accept it, but it was true.

He _desired_ Tobirama.

He knew things were beginning to get out of hand. He had decided to settle the situation by avoiding the Senju as much as possible, especially after the kissing incident. If he didn't see the man, he figured those desirous urges would slowly but surely go away. So far, it had been working; however, it didn't please him. As much as he hated to admit it, he had begun to miss Sir Grumps-a-Lot. Even if he was a pain to be around, he was one of the few people Izuna could associate with on a deeper level.

He briefly wondered if Tobirama had similar troubling thoughts.

A knock on the front door brought Izuna out of his musings. He stood up from the pillow he had been sitting on and placed his teacup down. He rushed to the door, opening it to see who their visitor was. He gaped at the unexpected face.

"M-Mito-hime!" Izuna stammered. "What brings you to the Uchiha district?"

"My reasons are my own," the Uzumaki curtly replied. "I was hoping to talk with your clan leader. Is he in?"

"Well…yes," Izuna answered hesitantly. "But he's currently busy at the moment."

"I can wait," she said. "May I come in?"

"Er…yes, ma'am."

Mito gave him a kind smile as she stepped into the house. She daintily made her way across the room, observing the room and the minimal décor. She took a seat down at the tea table, looking at the tea kettle and half-finished tea in the cups.

"Considering the way you Uchiha are, I would have expected this place to be flaunting off your clan's symbol," she stated. "I'm surprised. I suppose your clan leader isn't like that, is he?"

Izuna sat down at tea table, staring across it to look at the beautiful redhead. "Nii-san isn't one for showy décor. Battles, however…"

She giggled. "I see. So you're his brother?"

"I am. I'm Izuna Uchiha. May I ask why the princess of the Uzumaki Clan decided to grace us with her presence today?"

"Izuna-sama, I'm afraid what I need to discuss with your brother is a personal matter. I hope you can understand."

"It's alright," Izuna said, waving a hand to show he had no hard feelings. "I'm used to it by now. There are some things that are for the Clan Head's ears only."

"Izuna. What is _this_?"

Izuna stiffened up, turning around to see his peeved brother. He was in no mood to talk to anyone at the moment. He slowly made his way over to the table, sitting himself down across from Mito. Mito's gaze focused on his bump, but there was no visible disdain in her eyes.

"Madara-nii, Mito-hime wishes to speak with you about something," Izuna answered as he stood up and prepared to leave. "I'll leave you two alone to discuss whatever it is."

Madara internally groaned when he soon found himself alone with the princess of the Uzumaki Clan. She was every bit as beautiful as the first time he saw her. She would have made a lovely wife to the lucky man she would marry.

"Madara-sama, pardon my intrusion," Mito began with a bow. "But I'm afraid I could not wait any longer to do this."

Madara crossed his arms. "Which would be?"

"Tell me, Madara-sama; what is your relation to the Hokage?"

"You should already know. Why ask me something as trivial as that?"

"You two are the founders of this village. You must have had previous affiliation with each other even before the formation of Konoha. Otherwise, the Senju and the Uchiha may have continued fighting and the wars would still plague the land today. I want to know what sort of association you two had before this mess happened."

There was a long silence. "We used to be best friends."

"Used to?"

"Yes. _Used_ to."

"I see…" she mused, a knowing twinkle in her eyes. "So you no longer considered him a friend after the village was formed?"

"No. He was the Hokage. He had more important things to deal with than keeping a friendship that was no longer there."

"Because it turned into something more, didn't it?" she said as she gave him a kind smile. "I understand. It all makes sense to me now."

"I'm afraid I don't follow you."

"I understand his actions perfectly now," she answered. "He truly loves you. He wanted to terminate our marriage…so he could be free to love you to his heart's desire. I always admired that aspect about Hashirama. He's such a gentle and caring individual, always willing to do what's best for the ones he cares about."

"That's true…but that idiot is also notorious for being an airhead," Madara sighed. "I would have felt bad for you if you had to handle his moronic actions every day for the rest of your married life."

"I suppose so. But if that's the case, our marriage certainly wouldn't have been boring," she laughed. "However, I don't think I want to be the one to take that right of freedom away from him just because my father wishes it to be so; nor do I want to forcibly take someone precious away from another person."

"What do you plan to do?"

She stood up. "I know what I must do. I need to find Hashirama and give him my okay to cancel the marriage contract between us."

"You're willing to do that, even if it means your clan will ostracize you?"

"It's my life. I shall choose how I wish to live it. If anyone tells me otherwise, I'll gut them while they sleep."

Madara sweatdropped. "That's not exactly a ladylike thing to do…"

"Etiquette means nothing on the field of battle, Madara-sama. You should know that better than anyone."

"True."

"Now that this matter has been settled, I shall take my leave," She turned her back to him. "I bid you good day, Madara-sama."

"Thank you…Mito-hime."

"It's nothing to thank me for. But before I go there's one last thing I need to say."

"And that is?"

She twirled around, giving him a beaming grin. "Good luck with the baby!"

Madara's jaw dropped she began giggling at his expression. "You mean you actually…?"

"I won't ask how it's possible or why it happened. All that matters is that you're bringing a child into the world and that is something to be celebrated. I'm happy for you and for Hashirama, so I want you to know that you have my support. Take good care of her."

"Don't tell me you think it's a girl too…"

"I'm only taking a guess. Don't take it personally. If anyone has the highest chances of being right, it'd be you since you're the mother. Mother knows best, right?"

Madara simply smirked. "You should go, Mito-hime. I'm sure you have more important business to attend to than humor me."

"Indeed," she responded before she began making her way to the door. "Madara-sama, make Hashirama a happy man and give your child a wonderful childhood unlike the ones we suffered through."

He smiled at her retreating form as it disappeared behind the wood paneling of the door. "I plan on it."

Madara felt at ease as the baby began nudging him from inside. He placed his hand against the area he felt the movement. He could feel something small near the top of his stomach, just below his ribs. He gently pushed the tiny thing with a finger, watching as it responded by pushing back.

"You're going to be worth it," he said to it. "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't push on my bladder so much…"

A small pain was his response.

He winced, rubbing the spot where his child had kicked him. "You little _parasite_."

He used the table as leverage to push himself up. He grunted, making his way towards his room. He felt drained. The constant issues from others' opinions about him and Hashirama's extended absence to deal with the Uchiha and Senju elders about the situation had completely stressed him out. Hashirama had told Madara to remain in his home until the Hokage could get everything sorted out. He had gotten an earful from Sayuri about the importance of remaining calm and relaxed when pregnant. Stress was not good for the baby and as much as he hated the parasite at times, he felt an overwhelming urge to care for it as much as possible. He assumed it was "maternal instincts" that made him feel that way, even though he was a man.

He stiffened again as he felt the same sensation he had back at the Naka River. There was someone watching him. He felt his chest constrict as his eyes darted around the room. He did not see nor sense anything, but he knew there was something nearby; something _bad_. As if it could sense his rising panic, his child was moving around wildly in him. His arms immediately went to support his enlarged abdomen as he attempted to calm himself down.

He nearly let out a surprised yell when he felt a hand grab him near the base of his neck. He wanted to shout out, but his rapidly fading strength prevented him from doing so. He mentally cursed himself for allowing someone to sneak behind him and target one of the body's most sensitive pressure points. He felt himself falling as his vision darkened. The last comprehensible thing his mind processed before he blacked out was the erratic movements of his baby.

* * *

"This is an outrage!"

Hashirama's eyebrow twitched as he glared at the elder who had spoken. He was sitting before all the elders from both the Senju and Uchiha Clans. To say that they were displeased with both clan leaders was an understatement. Tobirama stood by his side, tightlipped and as calm as ever.

"To think something as substantial as this would be hidden right under our noses," one of the Uchiha growled. "What were you two thinking!?"

"Such an association is forbidden!" a Senju yelled. "You lowered yourself to such filthy levels for what you claim to be love!? There is no such thing as love between men! It's a scandal!"

"With our revered leader, no less!" another Uchiha agreed.

"I had such faith in Madara-sama…I see that faith has been misplaced."

"I'll say! He's been ruined like a common whore!"

Hashirama's glare sharpened. "Don't speak about Madara in such a way!"

A female Senju scoffed. "How can we not? Because of your actions, you have tarnished the name of the Senju. Madara defiled the honor of the Uchiha. Both of you are equally responsible for this atrocity!"

"I just want to know how it's possible for man to be expecting…" a male Uchiha moaned in disgust.

"I honestly have no clue…" Hashirama answered, a sweatdrop running down his head as he shrugged. "It's not like Tobirama made a Fertility Jutsu or anything."

"Don't drag me into this," Tobirama snapped. "For what possible reason would I WANT to create a jutsu as useless as that?"

"I don't know. For the same reason I came up with One Thousand Years of Death?"

Tobirama shuddered. "Don't even start on _that_. That technique should _never_ be used on anyone. I would know…"

Hashirama briefly chuckled at the violated expression on his brother's face before he returned to a more serious disposition. "Either way, explanation or not, it doesn't change the fact that it happened."

"Indeed. That Uchiha is a demon for being allowed harbor such an abomination."

Hashirama saw red. He shot up in his seat so fast that his chair fell to the floor. He nearly wanted to act out on the urge for physical violence if it weren't for Tobirama holding him back from doing anything he'd regret. Hashirama's killer intent filled the room as he turned his steely gaze on all those he saw.

"You may call me a fool. You may call me tainted. You may call me whatever you wish and I shall accept it. But I will _not_ allow anyone to speak ill of Madara or our child. Anyone who does so shall answer to me; and I guarantee you that your words will NOT go unpunished."

"Are you threatening us!?"

"Odd. Did it not sound like it? That was clearly my intention," Hashirama coldly replied.

"Onii-chan, I think you've been around Madara too much…" Tobirama deadpanned.

The sound of the room's doors slamming open cut off what Hashirama was about to say. Everyone's attention was directed at the one who had busted in. A panting and disheveled Mito Uzumaki was there, an upset expression on her face. Ignoring the protests of the angry elders for barging in on a private meeting, she rushed up to Hashirama.

"Hashirama-sama, pardon me for the intrusion, but I _had_ to come!" she quickly apologized. "It's urgent! Madara-sama is…"

Hashirama stiffened. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure since I didn't see what happened, but when I left after having a brief talk with him, I felt a disturbance in his chakra before it vanished completely. I ran back inside and he was nowhere to be found in his home."

"What!?" he shouted in disbelief.

"Hashirama-sama, I understand how much he means to you. You have to find him!"

"Mito…"

"Get moving, you bumbling oaf!" she snapped angrily. "Stop wasting time and _go_!"

Hashirama bowed briefly before her, giving her his silent thanks before he stormed out of the meeting room. He heard someone following behind him. He spotted both Tobirama and Mito following behind him.

"Why are you following me!?" he questioned as he zoomed past bewildered passerby.

"Because you have no idea where he is and having a sensor type shinobi is crucial in this sort of situation!" Tobirama answered heatedly. "Whether I like it or not, Madara is family now and family sticks together, right?"

"Tobirama…" Hashirama said with a smile. He then focused on Mito. "What about you?"

"If you think I'm going to be left behind just because I'm a woman and I have no part in any of this, you're sorely mistaken!" she replied. "It is my duty and honor as a kunoichi of Konoha to serve her Hokage faithfully. I won't allow anyone to harm the Hokage in any way, which includes hurting his family!"

He nodded. "Thank you, Mito."

"_Don't worry, Madara,_" Hashirama thought. "_We're coming for you!_"

* * *

The first thing he comprehended was the terrible pounding in his head. He hissed, placing his head against his throbbing temples as he attempted to get up. His massive stomach made it difficult for him to do so, but he managed to maneuver himself into an upright position. He opened his eyes, taking a look at his new surroundings. It was ungodly dim, making it hard to see anything around him. He placed a worried hand on his belly, pushing it lightly and hoping the baby would respond. He felt a hesitant tap respond back, easing his insecurities greatly. His child was okay.

"_Where am I?_" he thought confusedly.

"You finally awoke."

Madara's eyes snapped in the direction he heard the low hissing voice come from. He could barely see an outline of the figure. It was completely black in color save for the two beady yellow eyes that glowed in the darkness. It moved closer to him, taking casual strides as it did so. Madara felt a sense of dread form in his chest, causing him to drape his arms protectively over his stomach. He did not trust whatever this thing was.

"I never thought something like this would ever happen. However, it makes things easier for me."

"Who or what are you?" Madara demanded, his Sharingan glowing in the dark area. "What do you want with me?"

"I am what is left," it answered, smiling a wide grin filled to the brim with sharp fangs. "I am Mother's will."

"That doesn't answer my question!"

"That was my intention," it snickered. "As for what I want…I suppose I can tell you that much. You won't be alive for much longer anyway."

It placed a black hand across his stomach before it began spreading, as if it was connecting itself to him. Much to his fear, that was exactly what it was doing. He felt it snake its way across his body, covering his right side. He could hear it laughing in his ear.

"To put it simply, I want Mother to reign once again and claim her rightful place in this world," it explained, forcing him to move his hand. It was placed on his stomach, where he could feel his baby writhing around. "And you have brought the key to her revival into existence."

Madara felt sick as he swallowed a lump in his throat. "You want…?"

"Exactly. The little monster you're currently harboring is that key."

"Why—"

"That is where your little 'gift' comes into play."

"You know about that too?"

"Of course I do. I've known it for a very long time."

"I don't understand. What does this all have to do with me?"

"Let me tell you about the _true_ story of the legendary Rikudo Sennin."

Madara felt his eyes widen. How was it possible for such a vile creature to know about things that had happened centuries ago? His left eye narrowed at the black mass his right side had become. What exactly _was_ this thing?

"Long ago, the earth was plagued in endless war. Feeling the need to stop the senseless bloodshed, Mother ate the fabled chakra fruit from the sacred God Tree, the Shinju. With the power she gained from the fruit, she singlehandedly stopped the fighting that the pitiful humans raged against each other. She was hailed as a goddess. She had brought peace to them all and she would continue keeping that peace no matter what. During her reign, she bore two sons. The elder was known as Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the one your people would call the Sage of the Six Paths. Mother was enraged by the power her sons had taken from her, so she fused with the Shinju to reclaim what was rightfully hers. That being she became was known as the Ten-Tails."

"Ten-Tails!?" Madara shouted. "There's another tailed beast that exists!?"

"The Ten-Tails was not another tailed beast," it snapped at him. "The Ten-Tails was the origin of all the tailed beasts! Those weak creatures are mere fragments of the powerful being they once were! Those fools…they sealed Mother's body away into what would become the moon and her chakra into Hagoromo. In essence, he was considered the first jinchuriki. With his power, he became revered as the Rikudo Sennin. While he attempted to teach humankind to achieve peaceful means with the chakra he gave them, he became father of two sons."

Madara remained silent, still glaring at the black thing with every ounce of hatred he felt for it.

"The elder had inherited an inferior form of his father's Rinnegan, his chakra, and spiritual energy. That son was a prodigy. He had no need to bond with others due to his great prowess. Power became his ideal way to lead humanity towards peace. The younger son, however, was a complete failure despite inheriting his father's stamina and life force. He relied on the help of others in order to achieve similar power to his elder brother. He believed love was the key to peace. In the end, Hagoromo chose his younger son to carry on his dream of peace."

The black mass grinned. "Indra and Asura. Those were their names. Indra became jealous of his younger brother and I used that to spark an endless war between their descendants. Even now, their battle still wages. Their chakra reincarnates itself into one of their descendants once the previous transmigration ends. Tell me, Madara Uchiha; do you understand now? _You_ are Indra's latest transmigrant."

"I don't particularly care about that," Madara coldly replied. "The past has nothing to do with me. I'm not this…Indra and I never will be."

"Oh, it has _everything_ to do with you," the creature sneered. "If it weren't for Indra, your brat wouldn't even exist."

Madara's pupils dilated. "What?"

"Hagoromo was the jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails: my Mother, Princess Kaguya. Part of the Ten-Tails'—Mother's—chakra was inherited by his two sons. As a result, they inherited some more _feminine_ aspects from their grandmother. I'm sure you can guess what those aspects were."

Madara felt a blush spread across his cheeks. "Even so…how would it…?"

"Even _I_ am not completely sure of that," it said. "But judging from what I've seen in the rare instances a previous transmigrant experienced 'motherhood', it merely requires chakra from the two parents rather than the biological features. That chakra forms everything: the brat and everything it needs to survive. From there, the body adjusts itself enough to prepare for the brat's arrival, even going as far as adjusting the pelvic bone structure temporarily for a natural birth."

"I see…" Madara muttered. "That explains everything…But why _my_ child and not a previous transmigrant's if this has happened before?"

"This time, the child is an inheritor of both Indra _and_ Asura's chakra."

Madara stiffened. "You mean that Hashirama is…?"

"Yes. This is why I never thought that I'd get the key to my Mother's revival through this way. Indra and Asura's transmigrants are always at odds with each other. There has never been a pair of transmigrants that have fallen in love with each other, nor was there ever a child conceived between the two. With both of their chakra coming together to form this child, Hagoromo's chakra will emerge once again. The Rinnegan shall be seen for the first time in centuries! Knowing that, I knew I had to bide my time until I could snatch you away when you were at your weakest with no one around to help you. I even leaked out your 'little' secret to your village just to distract Asura's transmigrant away from you. With the Rinnegan, the lock to Mother's body on the moon can be undone. I was originally planning to use you as my little puppet, but this way is even better. I don't have to worry about the brat deviating from Mother's revival if it knows its sole purpose is to be her vessel for this world."

"Over my dead body!" Madara furiously yelled. "I'd rather _die_ than let you use our child for some insane plan to revive a dead witch from era's past!"

"Oh, don't worry," it jeered. "As soon as that brat's ready to pluck, I'll kill you."

Madara felt a bead of sweat run down his face. The black thing forced his hand to grasp his stomach harder, which caused his baby to squirm around even more.

"I'll cut you open myself. I'll make sure you never see the brat before you die. Or better yet…I'll do it before you even _hear_ the god-awful wails of its first few minutes of life. That'll be something to look forward to, won't it?"

The thing slinked off of him, allowing him free movement of his right side again. It gave him that unnerving toothy smile again before it melted away into the darkness. Madara curled up, arms encircling his abdomen. The baby was still moving around frantically.

"I won't allow it to happen," he whispered to it. "Never."

He felt a slight twinge in his gut, but it was not from his baby. He groaned, wondering why the practice contractions had to hit him now of all times. He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. He had no chance of escape. His physical condition wouldn't allow it and he had little access to his chakra reserves. He was trapped.

"_Hashirama; if there ever was a time I needed you more, it would be now,_" he thought as he ran a soothing hand over his belly in an effort to calm the baby down. "_Please hurry…for both of us._"

* * *

**I personally don't like it when Mito is always painted out as the villain in HashiMada fics; her sole purpose being to stop Hashi and Mada from being together. So, I wanted to make her character likeable in this story. I'm satisfied with how she turned out!**

**Looks like things have gotten serious! Black Zetsu has abducted Madara and Hashirama must go save his love! What will happen now? Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	9. Miracle

"Are you _sure_ he's somewhere around here?"

"I am a sensor type for a reason, Izuna. Do you doubt my skills?"

"I don't doubt them, Tobirama. I'm just…worried. It's my brother, after all."

"Don't worry, Izuna," Hashirama said. "We'll find him."

"We better! If we don't, I'll make sure the rest of your life is a living hell!" Izuna shouted.

Hashirama's frown deepened as he looked at his surroundings. The deep forests and gigantic bones of unknown creatures were an unnerving sight to see. It was a remote place; perfect for a hideout of any kind. He had no idea why their unidentified adversary wanted Madara enough to take him away from Konoha as far as this place. He had a sneaking suspicion that it was the precious cargo Madara was carrying, but even then he was confused as to why. It was a baby. It wouldn't show any sort of talent in ninjutsu or kekkei genkai until it was much older…unless it was DNA from both Uchiha and Senju combined together is what the enemy wanted.

"Hashirama-sama!"

Hashirama looked down at Mito from his spot on a tree limb. He leapt down, landing in front of her. He saw her worried expression and he instantly felt concerned.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's Madara's chakra," Tobirama explained from his spot next to Izuna. "It's fluctuating. Thankfully, it's reached a high enough level for me to pinpoint exactly where he is."

"And that would be?"

"Underground."

* * *

He ground his teeth together, his whole body trembling from the recent contraction. He clenched his eyes shut as his fingers dug deep into the soil. The pain was becoming more frequent and it was getting stronger each time it occurred. He breathed deeply in and out. It helped mute the discomfort somewhat, but it did not alleviate it completely. He could feel sweat run down his face as he gasped for air. His eyes drifted toward his bulging abdomen, feeling his baby squirm around inside.

Another sharp pain assaulted him, this one more agonizing than the last bout. He unintentionally let out a cry of pain. It echoed off the dank walls of dirt. He could hear footsteps approach him. He glared at the black figure as he lay helplessly on the ground. The thing kneeled down next to him, placing a black hand on his protruding mound.

"It must be my lucky day," it said, smiling its damnable toothy grin. "I don't have to wait four more weeks for the brat to pop out."

"You bastard…" Madara snarled, his entire form shaking from the torture he was experiencing. "Once I get my hands on you, I'll send you back to the moon where you can be with your despicable mother!"

"You won't get the chance to," it said, brandishing a kunai knife. "It's time I reap the seed that you sowed for me."

"I don't care what you think you are. You have no right to claim what was never yours in the first place. He's...she's…_my_ baby. I won't let you take my baby!"

It positioned the kunai over his stomach. "I suppose I'll be sure to let the brat know what a complete failure and utter disgrace of a 'mother' it had. It'll know its existence was created solely for Kaguya's revival and that its 'mother' wanted the world to suffer rather than usher forth a new era of peace."

"_Hashirama…Where are you when I actually need you!?_" Madara mentally pleaded as he shied away from the blade that was ready to cut him open. "_You said you'd always be by my side. Do me a favor and keep your word, you idiot!_"

"Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!"

Madara froze at the voice. He snapped his head in the direction he heard the voice come from. He spotted the familiar figure wearing the armor he would know anywhere. A giant serpentine dragon made of wood charged at the black figure, narrowly missing Madara. The black figure evaded the attack, landing on the dirt wall nearest to Madara. It let out a distinctive grunt of displeasure, its once toothy smile now a frown. The dragon continued its chase of the figure as Hashirama ran up to Madara. The Senju held his love in his arms, cradling him close to his chest. Madara grasped onto Hashirama's shirt, burying his face into the other man's chest.

"Madara, are you alright?" Hashirama immediately questioned.

He felt the pain strike back at him once again. Madara let out a loud shout, his fingers digging into Hashirama's arms. It was beginning to really hurt him. Once the pain had gone again, he was left breathless. He looked up into Hashirama's worried eyes.

"Why is this happening?" he weakly asked. "It keeps getting worse…"

Hashirama's jaw dropped after a few seconds. "Oh, _crap_!"

"What?"

"I think I know what's happening. I think you're in labor…"

"_Now_!?" Madara yelled indignantly. "I thought I had another four weeks to go!"

"Don't look at me! Blame the baby for wanting to come now of all possible times!"

They heard a crash nearby. Both men turned their heads, finding the black figure standing atop the defeated wood dragon. Hashirama stared down at it, a burning fury sparking in his eyes. He watched it disappear into the shadows.

"Don't think you're off the hook yet, transmigrants," it swore. "This is only the beginning. I'll be back. I'll find you; you and your _precious_ baby."

"Get back here, you bastard!"

Madara spotted a seething Izuna pop into the area, racing to the place where the black thing vanished. He searched around, an angry red aura surrounding his figure. Tobirama and Mito watched him from afar in his fruitless efforts. Mito ran up to Hashirama and Madara, kneeling down to check on the two.

"Madara-sama, are you alright?"

Madara opened his mouth to reply, but instead he blushed. His face contorted as his eyes drifted down to the growing wet spot on his pants. His face flared when Mito redirected her gaze to the same place. She cursed under her breath.

"We need to get back to Konoha immediately," she said sternly. "Things are going to get hectic real soon if we don't."

"Tobirama!" Hashirama called. The white-haired Senju rushed to his brother's side. "Can you use the Flying Raijin Jutsu to get us all back home?"

"Of course. What do you take me for?" Tobirama irritably answered. "I figured something like this could happen, so I prepared ahead of time. There's a seal located right in Madara's home. I can send us all there."

"Thank the gods!" Hashirama sighed.

"But what about that weird…thing!?" Izuna retorted. "We can't just let it go!"

"Izuna-sama, your brother is in labor," Mito chastised him. "The birth of his baby is more important right now than our pursuit of his captor. We can learn more from Madara-sama later. For now, we must take care of the business at hand."

"I agree with Mito-hime," Tobirama added. "You're too hasty with your decisions, Izuna. You lack discipline and that will lead you to your downfall."

Izuna was silent, his eyes downcast as he lowered his head in shame. Mito noticed this. She briefly looked between the two younger brothers before she smiled deviously. Everyone gathered around Tobirama, touching him on a part of his body. With a quick shout of the technique's name and a slight feeling of distortion, they all appeared in Madara's home.

Hashirama picked up his love, carrying him to his futon in his room. He laid the Uchiha down, who was breathing heavily as he tried to fight off the contractions he was feeling. He held Madara's hand, feeling useless as his lover cried out in pain. Madara clutched his stomach tightly with his hand, the soles of his feet digging into the soft fabric of the futon as he writhed around. Madara opened his eyes, giving a nasty look at Hashirama.

"I swear, I'm going to chop it off as soon as I'm able to!" he silently swore. "This is your fault!"

"I'll accept whatever you decide to do," Hashirama told him in a soothing voice. "But for now, just breathe and try to relax."

"I _am_ breathing! I'd be dead if I wasn't, you moron!" Madara yelled, feeling another contraction hit him. "Screw castrating you! I'm going to _kill_ you!"

"Oh, boy. Am I interrupting anything?"

Both men turned their heads toward the doorway, finding Sayuri standing there. She held her bag of medical supplies with her. She walked over to the two males, placing her bag down and she began putting on a pair of latex gloves.

"I suppose I'm not too late then," she mused as she began pulling off Madara's pants. "I see your water has broken. How are you feeling, Madara-sama?"

"Like shit," he answered as Sayuri draped a soft cloth over his lower extremities and she spread his legs apart. "You weren't kidding about labor…it's _horrible_."

"This is just the start, Madara-sama," she said as she began poking around down there. "Once the water breaks, the contractions get worse and then you'll feel the urge to push. But you can't do that since you're not fully dilated yet."

"I'm not fully what now?"

"See, there's this opening and it has to widen to a certain length before the baby can come out. Otherwise, you're going to be feeling a lot of pain if you try to push beforehand."

"How long do I have to wait?"

"It depends. It could take several hours for all we know."

"HOURS!?"

"Don't worry, Madara-sama," Sayuri said calmly, giving him a reassuring smile from beyond his legs. "I'm here to help you through this. We all are."

Madara felt Hashirama squeeze his hand, giving him an equally supportive expression. Madara felt comforted by having Hashirama near him. He let out another scream when another contraction hit. It felt like his insides were being torn apart. There was pain everywhere, especially in his lower back. He desperately hoped the entire process wouldn't last too long.

Unfortunately for him, true to Sayuri's words, it took hours until the opening was wide enough for the birthing process to start. And it hurt like _hell_. Madara had been raised during times of war and the pain of stab wounds, physical blows, and even burns were no stranger to him. But this pain was unlike anything else he had experienced before. The intense internal agony had him crying out, even as he tried to contain himself. Though he cursed Hashirama for putting him through this, he was glad that the bastard Senju was at his side. He was whispering nothing but soft encouragements into his ear and enduring the death grip Madara had on his hand.

Sayuri told him to push, but he was tired and hurting from the constant contractions that had occurred over the past few hours. The few moments of pushing he had done before made him feel like he had gotten nowhere at all. All he would feel was a fierce burning in his lower parts. His throat was raw from the constant shouting he let out. He wanted it all to end, but that would only happen once the parasite was out of him.

"Come on, Madara-sama. You're doing wonderfully," Sayuri said. "You can do this."

"I can't…" he weakly replied. "This is too much…even for me…"

"Nothing is ever too much for you," Hashirama stated. "You're Madara Uchiha. You are one of the strongest people I know."

"Physical strength only gets you so far. You should know that, Hashirama…" muttered Madara.

Hashirama ran his hand through Madara's hair, parting the sweaty bangs from his face. "Madara, when we were children, I always thought I felt a strong kinship with you. When no one else would listen to the ramblings of a child, you were there to heed it. For that, I always thought of you as a gift from the divine. Even now, I still believe that."

"What?"

"Being with you…I feel honored to have a bond with someone like you. You make me feel like we can accomplish anything together. I created Konoha with your help. I never would have made our dream a reality if it wasn't for you. So now, I want you to know that you can do the same. I'm here for you. I always will be. That's why I _know_ you can do this."

"Hashirama…don't get sappy on me now. This isn't the time for it."

"Maybe it _is_ the best time for it," Sayuri commented. "Madara-sama, give me your hand."

Madara slowly offered his hand to the medic. She maneuvered it down past his legs, leading it towards somewhere. She pressed his fingers against something…soft and wet.

"You feel that? That's the head. It just crowned," she explained. "It's just a little more, Madara-sama. Then you'll be able to see your baby."

His baby. He would see it soon. He suddenly felt a newfound strength fill his body at the thought. He breathed deeply as another contraction tore through his body. He bit his lip, a few tears falling down his face from the terrible agony he felt. Sayuri told him to push once more. With all the lingering power he could muster, he commanded his muscles to do so. He felt the burning sensation return tenfold, but he struggled through it. With one last loud scream, he gave another push. There was a huge relief of pressure after that. He collapsed onto his futon, completely exhausted. Everything was sore and he felt like every muscle in his body was aching. He wanted nothing more than to sleep right then and there.

But there was wailing.

He wearily raised his head at the shrill crying that filled the room. It was loud, but he didn't find himself annoyed by the sound. Sayuri was doing something beyond his legs, but he couldn't really see what. After a few more seconds, she wrapped a small white blanket around the baby's form. She quickly moved over to Madara's side.

"Congratulations," she said happily. "It's a girl."

A girl. He looked at the wet and bawling newborn before him. It…_she_ was the parasite that had decided to form inside him eight months ago? The movement he always felt in his belly was _her_?

It seemed surreal. Months of waiting had led him to this one moment. He tentatively grabbed his daughter from Sayuri, pulling her into his chest. Her little hand grasped a lock of his hair, clutching it tightly. She had quieted down immediately once she was in his arms. Even though he was finally holding his baby, he felt a sense of emptiness in his midsection. It was a constant presence he had gotten used to. That presence was gone, but it was still with him in the form of the infant that was snuggling into his chest. He looked at her face, raptly staring at her.

"She's…"

Madara trailed off. There were a number of adjectives running through his mind: tiny, precious, infuriating, and wonderful were just a few of them. But most of all, she was gorgeous. Maybe to another person she would appear to be ugly, but not to Madara. She was _his_ baby; _his_ little girl that he had brought into the world. He felt nothing but pure bliss as he held her in his arms. He briefly wondered if the elation he was feeling was what all new mothers felt like when they first held their child after birth. If so, he didn't want the moment to end.

"She's beautiful," Hashirama stated. "You did a magnificent job, Madara."

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without you," Madara replied, placing a hand on his daughter's head. "Thank you, Hashirama."

"She's so small. Is that normal?"

Sayuri frowned. "She's premature by four weeks, not to mention that Madara was underweight for that point in his pregnancy. I'm not surprised she's smaller than normal. That may cause complications for her in the future, even though she seems to be doing fine right now."

"So it's _my_ fault…" Madara mumbled.

He looked down at the tuft of blue-tinted black hair and the petite figure it belonged to. He felt fresh tears fall down his face despite his better judgment. His daughter would suffer in life because of mistakes that he made. She was innocent in the whole mess. She didn't deserve it. He cradled her tiny form, cupping her head with his hand as he held her close.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered to her. "I'm sorry for everything. For calling you horrible things, for not properly taking care of you, for forcing you to come before you were ready…"

"Madara, don't blame yourself," Hashirama responded.

"But still…"

"Be happy that she's healthy. If problems do arise, we'll be there to help her through them."

"Right…We're officially parents now."

"We still need a name for her. What do you think, Mama Mada?"

Madara ignored the aggravating nickname as he supported his daughter in his arms. He used Hashirama as his backrest, looking at the scrunched up face before him. She was still tugging on his lock of hair, her other hand reaching out for something. He carefully offered his finger to the tiny fist. She grabbed it straightaway and proceeded to suck on it. He smiled at her. She seemed content with herself as she relaxed in his arms. He gazed at her face intently.

"Izumi. I want her name to be Izumi."

Hashirama smiled, wrapping his arms around his love. "I think it's perfect."

"Izumi, forgive your awful mother," Madara told her, nuzzling his cheek against hers. "I promise I will always protect you. I won't make the same foolish mistakes again."

"She'll forgive you. She's too young to feel hatred yet, so you should be fine."

"I suppose we better tell the others the news?"

"That, we should."

Not two seconds later, the door thrust open and Izuna burst into the room. Tobirama and Mito could be seen beyond him, waiting patiently in the hallway.

"I heard the crying!" he exclaimed. "Boy or girl? Tell me! I can't take the suspense!"

"It's a girl, Izuna," Madara answered.

Izuna zoomed to his brother's side, kneeling down next to him to look at the newborn that was his niece. Izuna's smile widened as he gently poked Izumi's cheek. She shied away from her uncle's finger, burrowing her face into her mother's chest. Izuna let out a small coo at the action.

"She's so _cute_! A little gross feeling, but cute!" Izuna declared. "What's her name?"

"Izumi."

"Izumi? That's great!" he cheered. "I'm already a point ahead in the 'Favorite Uncle' department! She's named after me! Beat that, Tobirama!"

"I don't really care about that," Tobirama deadpanned. "I'm not starting a competition with you over something as trivial as this."

Izuna scowled at Tobirama before he turned back to Madara. "May I hold her?"

"Please be gentle with her," he said, slowly handing his daughter to her uncle.

She began whining once she was in his arms, causing Izuna to frown. "Did I do something wrong?"

"I think she's most familiar with her mother, so being in someone else's arms might not make her feel comfortable," Hashirama guessed.

"It's okay, Izumi-chan. Uncle 'Zuzu isn't going to hurt you," he fussed over her, lightly brushing a finger through her hair. "Uncle Tobi is a grouch, so don't listen to him when you grow up. Okay?"

"Hey!" Tobirama snapped indignantly.

"I'm sure he's only joking, Tobirama-sama," Mito giggled as she leaned over Izuna to get a peek at the baby. "She's adorable! I hope she grows up to be just as wonderful as the parents she belongs to."

"Mito?" Hashirama began uncertainly.

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking recently…"

"And?"

"I'd to have to get Madara's permission, but…"

"Spit it out, Hashirama."

"Would you like to be Izumi's godmother?"

Madara gawked at Hashirama, shooting upright and wincing from the lingering soreness he felt. "What!? I never agreed to something like that!"

"That why I said I'd have to get your permission first," Hashirama quietly replied, recoiling to avoid any potential punches Madara wanted to throw at him. "The few weeks when we were together proved that I could trust her. She even helped us find you and she approves of our relationship. I figured she deserved something worthwhile. We basically messed up her honor with the Uzumaki Clan because of it."

"I'm flattered," Mito answered. "It would be my honor to be godmother to the heir of both the Senju and Uchiha Clans. Of course, if Madara-sama deems it okay, that is."

Madara was quiet, looking at the sincere expression on Mito's face. His gaze drifted to his daughter in Izuna's arms. He watched Izumi's face scrunch up as she gripped Izuna's finger. He sighed, looking back to Mito.

"Very well," Madara said. "I can accept it. But know that if you do anything to harm her, I'll make sure you never see the light of day again, princess or not."

"Warning well received," was Mito's reply. "Madara-sama, now that both you and Izumi-chan are safe, can you enlighten us as to who your captor was?"

"I'm not entirely sure _what_ it was," Madara explained, using Hashirama's lap as a headrest. "It told me it was the will of Princess Kaguya, who it referred to as 'Mother'. It wanted Izumi…because it said she would possess the Rinnegan."

"The Rinnegan!?" Tobirama exclaimed in shock. "The sacred eyes of the Rikudo Sennin? What would lead it to believe that this child would have eyes that haven't been seen in centuries?"

"Something about me and Hashirama being transmigrants of the Sage's two sons and combining their two chakras would bring forth the Sage's chakra. It's also because we're transmigrants that we are the only two men that can bear children. It said Kaguya's body was sealed in the moon and only the Rinnegan can unlock that seal. I don't entirely understand everything, but that thing wanted to use Izumi as a vessel to revive Kaguya."

"That's insane!" Izuna snapped. "As if we're gonna let it take her and use her to revive some dead witch!"

"That's exactly what I told it."

"You know, revealing all that information to you wasn't exactly a good idea for it to do. Now that thing is going to have four really angry family members on its ass if it ever decides to show its face around here again."

"Am I not included?" Mito curiously asked.

"Of course you are, Mito-hime. I was excluding Tobirama," Izuna quipped.

"You _little_—!"

There was a loud wail, causing all of the people in the room except Madara to cringe. Izumi had burst out crying, clearly upset with the rising tension and the loud noises around her. Madara took her from Izuna, cradling her in his arms again and began humming softly into her ear. The volume died down, though she was still whining.

"Looks like you're fine with taking on your role as mother already," Sayuri stated.

"I have no problem being one. I just don't want her to call me 'mother'," Madara corrected. "I refuse to be referred to as such."

"But Mama Mada has such a nice catch to it!" moaned Hashirama.

"Don't call me that! It's demeaning!"

"Think of Izumi! It'd be easier to call you 'mama' since your name already starts with 'ma'!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Come on! Please?"

"NO!"

The rest of the occupants looked on with sweatdrops running down their heads. Tobirama facepalmed as the elder siblings proceeded to act like children.

"Sometimes, I really wonder how those two ever fell in love," Tobirama deadpanned as he watched the couple argue.

* * *

Within a few days, both Madara and Izumi got approval from Sayuri to be free and go out into the world. The parents had set up a room in Madara's home beforehand when they were awaiting the birth of their child. Hashirama wanted it to be pink to show off her cuteness, but Madara fiercely disagreed and wanted it to be navy blue to indicate her lineage. In the end, it was painted purple by Izuna since neither parent could decide on one color together. Thankfully, both Hashirama and Madara were able to agree on decorating it with gender neutral objects and toys.

Hashirama ended up staying in Madara's home and was even considering moving in now that their child was born. The first couple of nights were exhausting since Izumi was a priority and she needed to be fed, changed, and held every few hours in the night. Luckily, it wasn't as horrible as the two had originally thought it would be as Izumi wasn't a particularly fussy baby, especially with Madara. It didn't take too long for the two to get into a steady routine with their daughter, whom they found themselves falling more in love with every day.

However, their good mood was about to be ruined yet again a week after the birth. The elders had discovered Izumi's early birth and were absolutely furious with her. None would accept her as being the heir to either clan because she was born of two men, an illegitimate child, and she was a female. They told the clan heads that she was an abomination and a disgrace to both clans and her worth would need to be "tested" for any of them to _consider_ her being accepted as part of their clans. Madara nearly acted out on his desire to murder all of them when they suggested she be taken away from him. His killer intent flooded the room, causing one of the elders to pass out. He swore to them that if any of them touched Izumi or tried to take her away to be experimented on like a common rat, he would not hesitate to slay them on the spot. Hashirama, despite being a normally lenient and lax person, was absolutely furious with the suggestion and even supported Madara's decision that there'd be _serious_ consequences if they did anything to harm their daughter.

It was decided that the elders were allowed to have their opinions, but they would not have any say on the fate of Izumi. She would have to prove herself to them before they would accept her as one of their own. Madara swore to her that, one day, she'd make them eat their words.

Compared to the elders, the common people were intrigued, happy, but still suspicious about the new addition to the village. Even more females flocked around Madara in an attempt to see his daughter and they all congratulated him on a successful birth, though some questioned if he was cut open or not. Once again, he used his Susano'o to drive the creatures away. Izumi giggled to herself as she watched the scattered and panicked women when her mother scared them off.

Hashirama had also found someone from one of the more remote villages in the Land of Fire who would bless a marriage between two men. Though others, especially the elders, may not acknowledge it, it would still be an official marriage. Madara had said nothing when Hashirama told him the news. All he showed was a small smile. Instead, Izumi took it upon herself to express her mother's joy. She cried out gleefully, giving her father a big toothless smile as she kicked her feet into the air.

Before either of them knew it, they were standing before each other dressed in their finest kimonos being watched on by all those who supported their union. Much to their surprise, a number of those people were members of both the Senju and Uchiha Clans. Tobirama and Izuna had glared at a number of them in case they were merely there to mooch off the food rather than celebrate their elder brothers' marriage. Izumi, who was being held by Tobirama, had copied their actions. She narrowed her wood-colored eyes, scrunching her face up to scowl at them. Hashirama snickered at the cute scene.

"She looks like you when she glares at people!" he guffawed. "I guess I know who she takes after more!"

"I'd rather have her be like me than inherit stupidity from her idiot father," Madara stated.

Hashirama laughed again before he pulled his lover into a warm embrace. He kissed Madara, pouring every ounce of love he felt for the other into the action. It all started with skipping stones. To think that such a casual pastime would lead him to marry the one he truly loved. He blessed the gods above for bringing Madara into his life. He praised them even more for allowing Izumi to exist. This was the start of a new beginning for all three of them and he would do everything in his power to make the future a bright one.

Izuna sighed, watching the newlyweds in one of the most joyous moments of their lives. He felt truly blissful that his elder brother was able to find such joy. He then hung his head low, staring at the ground. He knew he'd never be lucky enough to have such happiness in his life; such love that he so desperately wanted. He peeked through his bangs, finding the object of his affections speaking with Mito. He had finally realized what he felt for the Senju. Somehow, without even trying, Tobirama had unintentionally managed to sneak his way into Izuna's heart.

"Throw the bouquet!"

Izuna perked up as a massive onslaught of females went diving for the flowers his brother had carelessly thrown away. It bounced between their hands before it went flying off toward a different direction. Mito looked on deviously as the flowers landed right in Tobirama's free arm, his other being used to support Izumi. The women moaned at their luck while Tobirama looked on in confusion at their depressed faces.

"Did I do something?" he asked Mito.

She giggled. "Oh, it's just a silly tradition for the bride, or in this case the groom, to throw their bouquet into the air. Whoever catches the bouquet is the next person to get married."

"I don't know whether if I should be excited or appalled…"

"You should be excited, Tobirama-sama! Marriage is something to look forward to, especially if you love someone," Mito said, moving too close to Tobirama for Izuna's liking. "By the way, are you sure you weren't lying to me when you said you were single?"

"I wasn't lying. Why do you ask?"

"I find it hard to believe that a man as handsome, strong, and intellectual as you wouldn't have someone to cherish."

"Um…"

"Maybe I should snatch you while I have the chance. It'd be a shame to let such a prize get away."

"Mito…?"

Izuna saw red and it definitely wasn't the color of Mito's hair he saw. He wasn't thinking clearly when he zoomed up to the two and forcibly shoved Mito away. She had a shocked expression on her face as she witnessed the angry aura surrounding Izuna.

"Back off! He's mine!"

Izuna then blinked when he realized what he just shouted out loud. He slammed his palm into his face, cursing his big mouth and short temper. He peeked through his fingers, finding a knowing smile on Mito's face.

"I knew it," she said. "I had my suspicions, but this clearly proves it. You like Tobirama; don't you, Izuna-sama?"

Izuna glared at her. "You conniving witch…"

"Izuna?"

Izuna hesitantly turned around, finding Tobirama looking at him with an uncertain expression on his face. The whole place was quiet as they waited for the scene before them to unfold. Izumi was smiling at him and nodding her head towards Tobirama, as if encouraging him to explain himself to the white-haired man. Izuna sighed, his head hanging low again.

"I…I don't know what I could possibly say to make things up to you nor do I know if what I say will change your thoughts towards me, but…you mean a lot to me. You're a stubborn bastard, but I ended up liking that about you. I don't know how or why, but you managed to make me feel for you. I guess what I mean to say is…"

He breathed in deeply, looking into the red eyes he had come to adore.

"I don't want to continue fighting you. If you never want to see me again after this, I'll accept that, but I have to say this. I…I love you, Tobirama Senju."

Tobirama had a blank expression on his face. He spoke naught a word. He merely handed Izumi and the bouquet over to Izuna before he quietly left the area. Izuna bit his lip in an effort to not let his feelings burst forth. He should have known what Tobirama's expected reaction was. Thinking otherwise was just false hope. He held Izumi close as he trembled slightly.

"Give him some time, Izuna," he heard Hashirama say as the Senju placed a hand on his shoulder. "He'll give you his answer once he thinks things through. That's how he's always been."

"I think I already know what his answer is going to be."

"Ah-ah!" Izumi chirped, tugging on Izuna's kimono and shaking her head. "Ah-ah!"

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Izumi-chan," Izuna said, feeling a bit lighter than before. "But I think Uncle Tobi and Unce 'Zuzu just aren't meant to be together except as enemies."

Izumi pouted. She had so much to learn. With her recently married parents, she was going to go through a lot with them. But thankfully she would have a loving family to support her all throughout her life.

She always would.

* * *

**It's a girl! Yippee! Her name, Izumi, means fountain.**


	10. Epilogue

Hashirama sighed in contentment as he walked down one of Konoha's streets, his hand intertwined with Madara's. No longer were they greeted with stares and disapproving looks. They had come a long way with regaining the respect of both civilians and shinobi clans alike. They were still getting crap from their respective clan elders, but the rest of the members had accepted and even approved of the union between their two clans. The hostility between the Senju and the Uchiha had died down tremendously since their marriage almost four years ago. Things were beginning to look up for both clans.

The two stopped in their tracks when they came across three familiar faces. Their daughter was trying to swing in the air using her uncles' arms as support as the two moved. Both Izuna and Tobirama had come a long way since the incident at the wedding. After Izuna had confessed to his once hated enemy, Tobirama had admitted he had conflicting feelings towards the Uchiha. But because the Senju was inherently stubborn, he refused to associate with Izuna further. With some encouraging words from his brother and new brother-in-law, Izuna decided he was going to do whatever it took to win the Senju's heart. His persistent (and sometimes unconventional) attempts were eventually recognized by Tobirama and soon he could no longer deny the feelings he held for the Uchiha. The two became a couple within the next year and they had recently gotten married.

Izumi spotted her parents and ceased her swinging. She let go of her uncles' arms and sped towards them. She hugged her mother's legs as soon as she was close enough.

"Hi Mama!" she greeted cheerfully.

He smiled at his baby girl. Madara nearly had a fit when Izumi's first word happened to be him. She had called him "Mama". As much as he had tried to teach her to call him "father" afterwards, his attempts fell on deaf ears. Izumi proceeded to refer to him as "Mama" and the name eventually stuck for him after three years of hearing her say it. The title no longer bothered him; in fact, it made him happy to hear her call him that.

"I'm so happy you're here!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the soles of her feet. "Is my sibling here yet?"

"No, Izumi. Not for another five months," Madara said, kneeling down to her level.

"Oh!" she pouted as she placed her face against Madara's distended belly. "Grow faster, baby! I wanna see you!"

Hashirama laughed at the sweet innocence Izumi always showed. Although he inwardly shivered as he remembered the moment when Madara found out he was pregnant again. Madara had made it clear to Hashirama that even though Izumi was a blessing and having another kid would be just as wonderful, he really did not want to go through the "joys" of pregnancy again. If Hashirama wanted another kid, he'd be the one having it this time around. Unfortunately, they got a little…"busy" one night and a few weeks later Madara began experiencing morning sickness. Madara was so pissed that he nearly burned their house down with a Fire Style jutsu he had directed at Hashirama. Izumi got worried that her mother was dying and Madara had to explain that she would be an older sibling soon. She then started whooping for joy and began talking about all the things she would do with her new baby brother or sister.

"Mama, you're getting really fat."

"I'm aware," Madara muttered, sending sharp glares at Hashirama.

"Hey, we love you no matter what you look like, potbelly and all," Hashirama jovially replied.

Hashirama saw stars when Madara punched him in the face. A concerned Izumi was hovering over him while Madara yelled at his prone form. Tobirama had palmed his face at his idiotic elder brother's antics and Izuna just watched on with a sweatdrop falling down his face. Hashirama laughed to himself as his angry husband continued to throw verbal insults at him. Even when pissed, Madara managed to look cute to him.

"Yep. I love you too, Madara."

* * *

The two sat down by the Naka River, cherry blossoms falling on them as they looked up at the full moon. Hashirama pulled Madara into his chest, embracing his love in his arms. Madara had placed his hands on his baby bump, smiling at it as he gently stroked it.

"I'm still pissed with you about it," he said. "But I'm happy too."

"Are you hoping for a boy this time?" Hashirama asked.

"I am; though if it's another girl, I won't mind. But I don't like how huge I am right now. I wasn't nearly this big when I had Izumi. I'm still having morning sickness too when I should be over it by now."

"Everything will be fine. You'll see," Hashirama said before he separated from Madara, helping the latter up. "I suppose we should head back. Izumi can't get to sleep if she knows you're not nearby."

"Right. But before we do, let's do it again for old time's sake."

Hashirama blinked in confusion as he watched Madara toss a stone into the air before catching it again. He positioned himself to throw it. Hashirama smiled, picking up a good stone himself. In perfect sync, the two males threw the stones. They skipped across the Naka River together. They reached the other side, landing on top of each other.

Before, those stones were on separate sides of the river. Now, they finally reached the same side.

Together.

* * *

**And that's a wrap! The end of _Three Words_! I had a lot of fun writing this and I'm so happy a lot of people ended up liking it! Even though _Three Words_ is now over, my co-author and I have been discussing a lot over the course of this story. During these discussions, other potential ideas popped up. In the end, we ended up getting enough material down to plan three other stories connected to the _Three Words_ universe. So, expect a sequel sometime in the future! Depending on how much you want to see the sequel, I may get it up soon! So stay tuned!**

**Coming soon: _Three Promises_**


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